Change

I'm amazed at the change of season that is upon us.  Summer here was glorious.  It was warm, mostly dry and the light was incredible.  We were also lucky to have hardly any bugs this year, couldn't get much better.  

However, the weather has shifted.  There's suddenly a cold bite in the air, it's wet, it's windy.  I can no longer head out the door with my coat open and not much thought about feeling cold.  Now I find myself wishing I had remembered gloves and a hat.  It's dark when I wake up (still light into the evening).  Just like that, it's fall and headed towards winter fast.

Sun set from my living room window as the darkness sets in

I'm surprised at how surprised I am.  I moved here at the end of September last year.  So I arrived in this weather.  Yet somehow I thought it would stay summer a bit longer.  Probably more of a hope.

I joined the Maniilaq softball team.  The season was delayed and limited because of COVID precautions, but we had fun.  There were 4 teams in town and we came in 4th place...  But I really enjoyed the camaraderie, I liked getting back on the field and even got some good hits in.  Already looking forward to next year.

The Maniilaq co-ed softball team

On whim, I also participated in a 1/2 marathon last month.  I found out about it on Wednesday, then on Friday night, a friend said she wanted to do it and I decided to join her the next morning.  Options were walk, run or bike.  We were in the walking group.  And walk we did.  At first we though we were doing pretty well.  But as the other groups moved further and further ahead, we realized we were bringing up the rear.  There were a few that needed to forfeit along the way, so we weren't last-last.  But we were last to hopped on his ATV to fetch us a couple yoga mats and phone chargers that he had back at the office.  So we felt victorious and fulfilled after our 13.1 mile walk, averaging about 19 minute miles.

Thankfully there haven't been many mosquitos this year.
But clearly, there have been in the past to have this be our marathon theme.

I was originally scheduled to go to Norway in August, but those plans got cancelled due to COVID.  So I snuck out of town for a weekend.  We still only had flights Mon-Friday then, so I went to Anchorage Friday to Monday.  I enjoyed some sightseeing as well as hiking and of course shopping to restock my pantry and freezer.  It was a great break for me, I stayed in a sweet AirBNB and even got to see a moose!

Portage Glacier boat tour

I also finally took advantage of going kayaking.  The City of Kotzebue offered kayak, paddle boat and bike rentals.  We tried going kayaking the first weekend but they were sold out.  Then the weekends started passing by and we didn't get around to it.  So finally on one of the last weekends, we went.  We thought they opened at 10am, but no, not until 2pm.  So we went back at 2 and got our kayaks out on the water.  We kayaked out to the sound, then back and around the lagoon behind my apartment.  

One of the funnest things was to kayak around a bunch of jumping fish.  I'd seen them before from the shore (even from my window), but to be in the kayak and have them jump all around, how fun.  I don't know what makes them jump, someone said it's because there are bigger fish deeper down and they're trying to escape (?).  But jump they did.

I haven't been fishing up here.  But we had a SeaShare donation to Kotzebue.  Tons of frozen halibut were delivered in by the coast guard and given out one day.  I had asked for some since I couldn't make it to the distribution area while I was at work and got a whole box delivered.  Who knew I'd be sorting through frozen halibut at work.

SeaShare frozen halibut

There haven't been a ton of berries this summer.  I wasn't here for blueberries last year but I've been told this years' berries are smaller and sparse.  Also, we never got salmon berries because it didn't get warm enough.  Arctic cranberries are next, I've been told they'll be ready after the first frost.  I remember picking them the first couple weekends I was here last October, just before the snow came.  So I'm looking forward to some cranberry jam.

Sun rise over Swan Lake on my way to work

Work is still stressful.  Because of providers not working for various reasons, we're short staffed and it's making those of us that are working feel over-burdened.  Since we're such a remote place, it isn't easy to get replacements (temporary or permanent), so despite the amount of work being the same, we have to do more to keep our patients healthy and happy.  Happy is the tricky part as they have to wait longer and no one likes that.

COVID is still an issue too.  We have several new cases diagnosed weekly.  So our public health nurses are busy contact tracing and trying to enforce social distancing and quarantine.  That doesn't work so well up here since homes are often packed full of people and visiting is a part of the culture.  As before, we haven't had anyone particularly sick from the virus.  But we would prefer not to spread it to someone that might get really sick.  So we test a lot, limit interactions and hold our breath for what's to come.

I'm headed out to a village soon, more to come about that in the next blog.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy fall 🍂.