Wanna sauna?

What a glorious experience! We got to use our sauna today for the first time. Mind you, it was the first time either of us ever did a sauna. I think personally I am hooked! Maryann, Michelle and John made the fire in the saunas wood stove, and about 45 minutes later, John comes in and tells me it's ready if I want to come out. I told him that's great but I aint going in clothed...... He looked at me as if I was loonie in the head. Obviously his first time doing a sauna, eh! Maryann and I did go in for almost an hour, and Michelle after. John did venture in....clothed! Mind you, Michelle is an old veteran with the sauna scene, as she did saunas when she lived in Canada. Now we have been told that after a sauna, it is best when you can go jump in the lake. I don't think I would be frequenting that ride anytime soon, as there is a matter of a 'shrinkage factor' involved in such an antic! OOOWEE!! It will be nice when the temps are in the minus though to come home and do a sauna at days end. Kinda cant wait! I did give a photo tour of the fabled sweat lodge. It sits below the actual home about 12 feet from the lower door so it is very acessable year round. It has an entry area for disrobing and such, and also serves as a room to come out into when you just need a moment of fresh air, as the steam does sometimes overwhelm you. Then you go through a little narrow door into the actual sitting room that has elevated benches which could comfortably fit up to 6 0r 7 people at once. 2 is cozy though! It is fired by a wood stove with small to large rocks that sit on the top of the stove. A simple watering can is used to douse the hot rocks to produce the steam, and depending on the amount of steam is how often you douse the rocks. Ya just sit and sweat out all that burdens you, and you feel so relaxed afterwards. And very toasty! =)

To update the money eating mongrel of ours. John felt comfortable today with pulling out the cash from the deposit after it was rinsed with 3 days of rain. Although nobody has yet to put it into their wallet! He yielded exactly $1.00 which leaves $9.00 unaccounted for. In the mean time, Kenai woke today looking a little peekid and not doing much in the way of moving around all day. We are thinking the 'roughage' is a little more than her innards can handle! We aint seen the other 9 bucks, so it must be movin through, right?! The sun did finally come out today after 4 days of clouds and 3 of rain. Felt so good to be out in it. There was a strong sea breeze that came in with the sun and a mild temp of 60 degrees. Mike, there are many prerequisites in moving to Alaska, and the tolerance for eccentrics may just be one. Being eccentric may also be just one. Being Artesian......get back to me on that! We have found our peace here so far though, and if nothing else, we cant see the eccentrics....and they cant see us! Being on 5 wooded acres has it's advantages. Thanks for keeping up with us. Happy Monday to all.

-Greg