Artificial sunlight...at last, controversy and hope.

Sundown from the road at 3:10PM

I am currently happy....happy I tell you! I think it could be my new 'Happy Light' that finally came in the mail. Or, it could be that eggnog latte I had a little bit ago from Starbuck's at Freds. Or both?! Yes, I find myself in a moment of utter bliss as I soak in the rays of my little fake sun, bouncing off the walls and hopped up from my latte high. Cool thing about my own little sun is that it's portable and can be moved anywhere for all occasions! I tried to expel some of my 'powered by latte' energy in sanding the walkway to the garage, and around the parking pad. It is that time of year again, where gravity is your nemesis and the Ice Capades have once again become a standard for life here. Our warm up the past week had found us back in the low to mid 30's and a chance for all the snow to melt just enough to glaze over. And to add to the fun, a lite layer of dry snow the other night to top the ice....so everywhere is just slick as all get go. Including our walkway to the garage! You know it is funny how my head is always a magnet to anything hanging low and my ass is utterly attracted to gravity pockets! I am the only one in this tribe that constantly finds myself in 'hang-time' and sliding on my butt. Oye! The dogs are too funny. They have permanent cramp-ons built into their paws, and nary will lose a wince when running across vast ice fields. We took a walk on the beach with them in Kenai the other day, only to find the dogs in a free for all romp on the icy beach as we were confined to limited areas that were ice free zones. They had fun! Speaking of beach I have found myself in thought lately.

Almost a year later, and many broken promises we in Nikiski still find ourselves without our beach. It was about this time last year that our public beach, which so many locals enjoyed daily was closed in the name of 'Homeland Security'. At least that is what we have been told. Personally I feel like that is a bunch of hokum. The more prominent rumor is that Peak, the company that owns the OSK dock which supplies the platforms out in the inlet (the "official" alegation is that Homeland Security is concerned about protecting the supply dock), closed off public access to the beach due to insurance purposes. Peak owns the access, through their yard, to the public beach and therefore shut it down about this time last year. Now we do have a few alternatives besides driving 15 minutes south to Kenai. We can drive 15 minutes north to Captain Cook beach. Or there is the new road that the Borough cut to a different stretch of beach (which is about a joke), on the taxpayers expense. Remember, the taxpayers lost the right to enjoy "their" public beach and now have to pay through taxes for access to a new beach... Or, if this isn't a poke to the 'Homeland Security' vindication, there is the stretch of beach that is still opened for public use behind the Conoco Phillips LNG plant. The beach that gives direct access to a number of Liquid Natural Gas holding tanks and complete exposure to the pipes that run out to the tanker loading docks off shore.....have I said too much! Opps. Apparently this security scenario isn't as important to Homeland....Arrgh! Just annoying. The closed beach was prime romping grounds not only for community but for local set netters who have been fishing those shores for generations. Funny thing is when the McGahan family who homesteaded that area sold that land to the OSK dock years ago, it was under the condition that right of way would be granted for public access to the beach that has belonged to the public since before statehood. Yeah.

On a happier note, Nikiski is the newly projected home for the a wind farm. That's right. They are going to put in about 10 wind turbines which will initially power the Tesoro refinery, and eventually may go on to add power to our grid down the line. Being right on the inlet, we do get some pretty heavy and consistent wind through here. The people of Soldotna are pissed. Apparently, since Soldtona is a little more inland and not as susceptible to wind as we are, they were not considered for such an experimental run. Whiners! This gig kind of ties in nicely to Palin's proposed plan to make Alaska an energy independent state. Makes sense. God knows we have gas! Despite the environmental controversy we do have a plentiful supply of tapped and untapped oil. As long as there exists nature we will have a good supply of wind, in many areas of the state.

We are adjusting to our second winter nicely. It is easier this winter to wake up and get going than it was last winter. Getting out of bed was a stinkin chore last year! Body just wanted to sleep what with all the darkness. That and having an idea of what to expect. I mean, last year was amazement and anticipation each new day. Kind of miss that feeling really, but I have to say it is a little easier going in this winter. Today the sunrise is at 10:05AM and sets at 3:54PM and if your not careful in planning your day, you do miss out literally on "the day". I have a small bizarre at the Aspen Hotel in Soldotna Saturday which I am looking forward to. Nothing as big as the Christmas In Kenai gig a couple weekends ago, but should be fun. Sad thing is that I ran really low on pottery inventory the last run. Still a good selection, just not as much as I would like... what am I saying!! This is a good thing from a sales point of view! Also, I am still tossing around whether I want to sit in a class for traffic school Sunday, or do the on-line course....decisions. Mike took the on-line course and is off the hook now. John opted for community service to wipe out the fine, but still has to do the traffic school thing.....bunch of scofflaws we are....oh the shame! For now, we strap down for the ensuing 'darkest day', excited that after that day passes we will find glory in gaining light, and the passing of another year. I put in a new link on our 'favorites'. The Boehme family lives "way out here" in Nikiski and is blogging their adventure in this new land, and God knows we love adventure! It is good writing and a humorous perspective on their story. Yvette, where have you been?? We keep checking and no posts... Hope everyone is well, and please do stay safe during this busy time of year. We miss family and our friends but still feel blessed to be where we are, as this is where we truly wanted to be. We are blessed and pray the same for all of you. Take care for now.