CAN IT BE?

June 20, 2011-Monday

Can it be? Is it truly the beginning of week five of our trek to and our stay in Alaska? In so many ways it seems we just left Coldspring, our friends there and our family nearby. Truly, life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer one gets to the end the faster it goes.

For a change the writer got up before Onie. He rose at eight, it was 46 and overcast outside, and she joined him half an hour later as he was finishing a cup of Chai tea and just starting on this story. He had already read his email and the web news as well as checking the weather forecast for Coldspring. It looked like there was a good chance of getting some rain over the next few days. He, along with many others, will be hoping and praying that the much needed rain comes.

Onie fixed a breakfast of Bays English Muffins, an egg, sausage, sliced tomato and Mayhaw jelly. While we were eating we finished yesterday’s crossword puzzles, as well as both of today’s.

Dishes were washed and this story continued as well as more notes taken off. Hopefully all the notes from the trip will be transcribed in the next day or two.

The heater ran and outside the clouds darkened.

The writer called daughter, Dawn, and they visited about Texas wildfires, her job and doings here in camp.

Onie stripped the bed, gathered up towels and sorted the dirty clothes as she prepared to do the wash.

Outside the driver was filling the fresh water tank.

With water running in the tank and the clothes sorted the driver helped Onie carry the baskets, containing the dirty clothes, to the laundry. There they started the four washers before heading back to the coach.

As they stopped to visit with Kay a light rain began to fall. The threesome walked on to the Marlin where the ladies sat outside visiting while the writer went inside and took off more notes.

He was interrupted by a call from the ladies who were saying the fresh water tank was full. He went out, turned off the water, coiled the hose used to fill the tank, stored it and went back inside.

The rain continued to fall and as he continued his writing inside, the amount of rain falling outside increased.

Kay left to go visit with Dixie and Onie went back to the laundry.

The writer sat. The laptop was on his lap top, that is, and he continued to take off notes and write. Music on the iPod kept him company.

Rain continued falling all afternoon. Fifteen minutes of rain would be followed by an equal amount of sunshine, clouds or both and then rain would move back in.

The writer kept taking off notes and writing as Onie worked on the wash. Finally finished she came back to the coach and told the writer she had a basket of fresh clothes that needed to be brought back to the coach. He went after the basket.

When he got back the two unloaded the basket, stored the clean clothes then put the clean sheets on the bed.

Back at the laptop more notes were taken off while the cook prepared black bean tacos, corn tortillas, avocado and sweet potato fries. She placed the meal on the table at six thirty and the writer took a break for supper.

Half an hour later he was back at the laptop. The last of the notes had been taken off the recorder and now he could concentrate on getting the stories finished up so the editor could work her magic and then post them but first he brought this story up to snuff.

A movie evening had been planned but the navigator, being tired, wanted to nap first. The nap ended about eight o’clock Tuesday morning so there was no movie.

Kurt came by and we discussed taking out the halibut boat on Wednesday. It will be just the two of us as we want to get familiar with the boat and equipment. We have picked a day when the wind will not be strong and the waves only 2-3 feet. We will also look for the kelp beds up the coast from Homer. It is reported that chicken halibut infest the bottom in and around the beds. We also decided to go to Anchorage next week to get the windshield replaced in his Mercedes. It took a rock just a few miles up the Al-Can and has a bad run in it. About seventy thousand miles have passed since we replaced the rear wheel bearings in the Subaru and they are starting to make noise so I will have those replaced at the same time.

Nine thirty found the writer back at the keyboard where he worked a couple of hours before giving it up to play a couple of games before retiring at midnight.

SIDE FINISHED

June 21, 2011-Tuesday

Rising at eight Onie got a cup of coffee and settled in with her computer to check her email and the market.

The writer rose somewhat later, got a cup of Chai tea, started tea water, fixed the tea ball and settled down with his laptop. Efforts to check email failed as the network was very slow in responding. The server here slows down quite a lot when very many people are on it. Later, tonight, when most of the camp is asleep, he will check it again and answer those requiring same.

It was chilly last night and the electric blanket stayed on all night. This morning it is still quite cool and the electric heater is running constantly. Outside it is a gray day with low gray clouds that may fulfill the forecast for rain.

When Onie rose we had breakfast before the writer went out to empty the holding tanks and fill the fresh water one. Bill lent a hand before we emptied his also.

Onie watched and visited with Kay and Dixie; then she was off to shop.

The writer finished polishing the passenger side of coach, visiting with Chuck off and on and helping pull the hose for the cleaning table under the road.

A few years ago we dug a trench under the road, laid a piece of PVC pipe in it and then buried the pipe. We run a hose through it in the summer so we can have fresh running water at the fish cleaning table on the grate. When the hose is taken out in the fall a rope is attached to it and pulled through the pipe where it, the rope, stays until it is used to pull the hose back through the following summer.

To accommodate the hose for the cleaning table and still allow us to access the same faucet a second splitter was put on the first one I had installed just a few days before. Now we could hook up three hoses.

Attention was turned to the shed where an effort was made to bring a little order to what we had placed inside a few days earlier then it was down to the river and grate for the first 100 casts of the season. No fish were hooked or landed but the author did feel one swim by under his line.

Kurt came by and we visited about halibut fishing, tomorrow. We are going.

When he went back to his house a few more casts were made in the river. Three more fish were touched before the writer broke off his line on a snag.

Onie finished her shopping and got home at 9.

After storing all the new supplies we had supper and she, being tired, went to bed.

Determined to catch up with the stories the writer continued writing on week three until one.

ANOTHER FIRST

June 22, 2011-Wednesday

The writer rose at 6:30 after a restless night of sleep.

He finished getting ready to go halibut fishing then had steel cut oats and Chai tea for breakfast.

Kurt arrived at 7:30. We loaded my gear into the pickup and were off to Homer at 7:45.

We had a nice drive under sunny skies. The lack of much wind seemed to promise a nice day on the water.

After stopping for bait, frozen herring, we parked at the small boat basin at nine.

By nine we were easing the Kingfisher out of her slip and heading for deep water.

Overhead the sun continued shining and a light wind combined with the tide to produce waves of two to three feet.

We thought we might find some halibut at a point called Pogy but decided to stop on the way there and see if we could find halibut closer in. Stop we did and we did find some halibut, a couple of chickens and some cod.

We headed on out to Pogy where we drifted over a couple of humps and caught a couple more small halibut and more cod plus a big octopus.

We still didn’t have the size fish we were looking for so we continued out to Flat Island. As usual it was a bit rough passing Pogy but then we were back in the two to three foot swells.

At Flat Island we were 27 miles from the boat slip riding over the two to three foot swells with an occasional four foot one coming in.

The bite was quick and we caught lots of chickens, culling as we went so we would end the day with the largest. It should be said that culling identical twins to get the largest is difficult and it wasn’t twins we were culling but a couple of dozen or perhaps three dozen fish we were trying to pick from.

There was little tide for most of the day and we fished with just a pound of weight in a little over 100 feet of water. The sun remained bright warming the air to about 48 or 50.

As the afternoon wore on we were wearing out and the air, warming in the sun, began to deliver a little more wind. The tide also began running a little harder and soon it was difficult to get bait to the bottom, even with three pounds of lead.

It was time to head in.

Kurt cranked the twin 130 Hondas and got us under way.

The driver picked up a filet knife and began a new experience. Many were the times he had watched someone else filet halibut but never had he done it. That changed as he fileted the four fish that had been kept.

When he finished he joined Kurt in the cabin where the Hondas had been throttled back to slow our speed in the building seas. With an onshore wind and an ebbing tide the seas were building, becoming steady fours with an occasional five thrown in for good.

At six we were in the shelter of the small boat basin where we stopped to take on fuel before heading back to our slip where we unloaded and cleaned the boat.

The pickup was loaded and we were on our way home by seven fifteen.

We visited along the way about what to do tomorrow.

Nine o’clock and we were in Kurt’s drive where we unloaded the cooler, took it into the garage to the stainless processing table and took out the filets. Kurt skinned the filets and loaded vacuum bags. The writer vacuum packed the fish and then they were divided.

Kurt drove me down to the coach at ten.

Onie was watching GSN.

The writer had some pheasant stew, chai tea and chocolate trying to get up enough energy to shower. It was no use. He was too tired. He reasoned that he had worn four layers of shirts and had kept his pants relatively clean so a shower could wait. He went to bed at twelve.

Onie had visited with Becky and her mom, Jan, during the day. They went shopping in Sterling. Onie and Kay went to and joined a gym in Soldotna. They will be going to work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they will go to a Zumba class. Onie said it is a very nice gym with nice clean showers, towels, hours, etc. Next Wednesday at 10 she will have a personal trainer for an hour to set up a program for her for the summer. She got home at 1 then went to Becky’s to visit before coming back home at six. Tracy had called at 6:45 and she had a long talk with mom then mom had headed to bed to watch GSN, as mentioned before.

It had been a full day for the couple.

THIRTY YEARS, TWENTY TO GO

June 23, 2011-Thursday

Onie was up at 8:30. I followed her at 9.

It was our twenty ninth happy Anniversary. We married thirty years ago today.

Onie played Bookworm while the writer jotted down notes for today and yesterday.

The cool coach was filled with bright sunshine which was helping to warm it along with the heater which had run all night.

David Matthew called to wish us happy anniversary and tell us it was hard to believe how young he had been thirty years ago and how old he was now. Jim Johnson also called to wish us happy anniversary and give us a report on rain, fruit trees and the house. He had just returned from our friend Pat’s funeral.

After the phone calls the writer continued making notes and Onie continued to run up her score on Bookworm.

With the big hand on the clock past the ten and the little hand near the six it was time to stop and fix breakfast.

We have few traditions in our house but we do have a few and one is our anniversary breakfast, eggs benedict, Mimosas and fresh sliced strawberries covered with honey and half and half. When breakfast was on the table we sat and gave thanks for it and thirty good years together.

By noon we were off to the showers for a good scrub down then we came back to plant flowers.

Onie planting her spring flowers

More flower planting at our expanded site

Just planted and blooming already

At five we began getting ready to go to the Cooper Landing Princess Lodge, for supper, with Kurt and Becky.

They picked us up at five thirty.

The hour’s drive to Cooper Landing was pleasant as we visited and talked about the thirty years Onie and I have been together and the twenty six they have been married. Their anniversary is the 6^th of June so we were celebrating both.

Snacks and drinks on the deck, overlooking the Kenai River and the mountains on the far side was followed by dinner at seven fifteen. The food was good and the company better.

The drive home involved less talk than the ride to the restaurant as everyone was tired and full.

Home at ten we went to bed to watch The King’s Speech.

Onie was too tired to stay awake for the whole movie and went to sleep at eleven.

The movie was over at twelve fifteen.

Clair called to tell me about an earthquake in the Aleutians and a tsunami warning. We visited for a bit before my cell phone died when I went to sleep at 1:15.

TRUE GRIT-NOT

June 24, 2011-Friday

Onie was up at 8. The writer rose at 8:30.

We had coffee, chai tea and pheasant stew for breakfast. Then the writer enjoyed some Jasmine tea while Onie got ready to go to yard sales with Becky and her mom, Jan. They left at ten.

With his tea close at hand the writer continued writing on week three. At six he finished.

There had been bright sunshine all day and it had brought some warmth.

With week three completed the writer started on week 4 and worked until almost 7 when Onie got back with her new treasures.

The ladies had a good time and ate at Veronica’s.

The writer and navigator went to Don and Julie’s at 7:30 for finger foods.

It was clear and cool. Most folks from camp were there and all the ladies contributed something.

We had a good time and were home at 9:30 to watch a remake of True Grit. The spoken parts seemed stilted and unreal with the language being unrealistic for the characters involved. Mattie was the most believable character while Le Boeuf, the Texas Ranger, seemed very uncharacteristic when viewed in light of Texas Ranger history.

The movie was over at 11:15 and Onie went to sleep.

The author watched Card Sharks until 11:45.

FETTUCCINI EXTRODINAIRE

June 25, 2011-Saturday

It started raining last night around midnight and rained for quite a long while.

This morning at nine, the rain had quit. Under cloudy skies the outside temp stood at 46 while inside it was 57.

We had Chai tea and coffee while we checked the local weather and weather at home.

After breakfast the writer made a few notes then went off to Kurt’s at 11 to help with his deck.

In the quiet of the coach Onie worked on week three.

The guys worked until 5 when the railing on the deck was finished.

Onie had continued to work on week 3 until she stopped to start creating her shrimp fettuccini dish for tonight’s whindooey for Chuck.

The writer was back down to the coach at 5:30 to check with Onie about the time for the party. She said it would kick off between six and seven. The driver went back to Kurt’s to tell Becky and take him a large propane bottle for his mosquito magnet, then, it was back to the coach.

We went to Donnie’s at seven. Two long tables were covered with food and a third held deserts.

The sky was delivering a misting rain.

When the eating began Onie’s fettuccini was a big hit. A little was left in the pan at the end of the meal. Don and Julie had especially enjoyed the fettuccini and requested the warm-ups. Onie acquiesced and the pan quickly found its way into their rig.

After folks were finished eating Donnie made a campfire for marshmallow roasting.

As a heavier mist was falling and it was turning colder the writer and navigator made their way home at nine.

They checked their email and when the writer was done with that he made notes and worked on week four.

Onie continued working on week three until both parties decided it was bedtime.

SEA TREKING

June 26, 2011-Sunday

Rain beat down on the coach during the night but had ceased by sunrise at 4:35 A.M. It was 46 degrees. It would be 11:37 P.M. before the sun set again.

The wind was coming out of the North-north East at seven miles per hour, gusting to eighteen. The predicted high for the day was fifty nine.

The writer rose at 6:30, fixed a cup of Chai tea, made some notes and finished writing week four.

When Onie rose at eight it was partly sunny.

She had her first cup of coffee while the writer continued writing on week five.

Kurt called. We are going to Halibut Cove and possibly Seldovia.

The plan is to leave at 10.

They were down in the truck right on time.

We loaded our stuff in the back and found seats along with Kurt, Becky, Burt and Jan.

Kurt had the wheels turning at 10:15.

Everyone talked and visited on the way to Homer where we arrived at noon and went to lunch at the Two Sisters Bakery.

After stopping for bait we were at the small boat basin at one.

Gear was unloaded and Kurt and the writer went to prepare the boat for the rest of the voyagers.

They came down the ramp and to the Kingfisher at one forty five.

Underway to Halibut Cove at two we were riding on flat seas with almost no wind.

The ride over to Halibut Cove was completed at 2:15 or so when we tied up to the floating dock.

The crew, left to right, Becky, Burt, Jan, Onie, Kurt

Becky, Burt, Jan, Pawpaw, Kurt

Kingfisher at rest in Halibut Cove

Walking on the floating walkway we made our way to the ramp leading up to businesses and home.

Topside Kurt found the coffee shop while Onie and I stopped for pictures.

The writer on the Halibut Cove boardwalk

Part of Halibut Cove at low tide

More of The Cove and Kingfisher

Pictures made, the writer joined Kurt in the coffee shop where a Chai tea was ordered before the party climbed stairs to an art gallery.

A good amount of time was spent looking at work by local artists. Some of the works were done with octopus ink making them kind of unique for that alone.

Back to boat at 4 we were underway again.

Onie was on board first

Heading out of the cove Onie took some pictures.

The boardwalk connects almost everything in The Cove

Hinged ramps connect the boardwalk to the floating docks

Some of the summer residents have very nice homes

Now we ran back past The Spit, at Homer, still on seas almost smooth as glass.

After running a way past the Spit we stopped and fished at various spots. We got nada except for a cod or two.

Finally at Flat Island late in the day we found some halibut but mixed in with them were some big cod. We moved a bit and there were still a few cod but a limit of halibut was boated.

Headed in I fileted 4 of the fish and Kurt fileted four.

The writer wields the knife

Kurt at the filet table

While Kurt wielded the knife Becky took the wheel.

As we were pulling into our slip, Onie spotted and photographed a seal enjoying our walkway. He/she hurriedly moved away.

Back in we tied up, unloaded some things and Kurt, Becky and I cleaned up the boat while Onie, Burt and Jan took some things to the truck.

In the parking area, Onie photographed a bald eagle sitting atop one of the buildings.

When the trio finished cleaning the boat they took the rest of the gear and headed to the truck.

The party was on their way home at 11:17.

They stopped for fuel in Homer then continued their way home.