If you don't know Jorma...you don't know Jack!

Yesterday, March 18th, at approximately 11:40 AM AKDT Lance Mackey crossed the finish line in Nome, in a punishing - 15 below with his dog team. For the 3rd straight year he has officially taken first place with the 2009 Iditarod. And the first order of business within seconds of crossing the finish line....giving the guys that pulled him the trek, their well earned raw fish goodies!! Oh happy dawgs! For the next several days other teams will file in and wind down the event of 2009. Another sure sign that Spring is due soon. As well on the 18th, we scored tickets for Tuna....and it ain't 'Chicken Of The Sea'! Yes, our first official concert in Alaska. Mind you, the local scene this past Fall in Hope at the "Winterland" gig would technically for all medicinal purposes, be posted as the first concert in Alaska. But, on a 'more' official, and 'more' for all medicinal purposes of a legitimate official gig, Hot Tuna in Anchorage at the Discovery Theater will be the first....officially...! =) June 11th 2005, my Birthday present to myself with the love of Maryann to guide it. Scott and I went to see Hot Tuna in Truckee at some park.....great venue.... Still not sure to this day whether Jack, pictured at left, was pleasantly surprised, or pissed when he shot me this glance? I may have inadvertently used the flash on the camera, thus annoying him. Or, he may have well just been 'into the tune' and no glance was ever shot, but a look of daze.... I will never know! =)


Back in the day Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy lead guitarist and bassist (pictured center and left), founded the famed Jefferson Airplane, a band that took off and soared the Age of Aquarius in the late 1960 and early 1970 San Francisco rock scene. As the Age would shift and the Airplane turned it's sights towards a new line up becoming The Jefferson Starship, Jorma and Jack broke off and formed Hot Tuna and would continue their diverse and viable blend of blues and rock through the years and yes...into 2009 still going strong. Now for those of you who know not of this musical magnanimity and could care less....for this I am sorry. But to two earthbound souls who love simple music and the gentle serenity that such brings to the body and being....well, we are just plain excited of this!!! So something for us to look forward to for the coming transition of a new summer.

The smell of Spring is in the air! The obvious signs are emanating about. The temps are a bit hokey pokey, but the feel is definitely here. Looking outside it is winter. Bountiful amounts of snow, ice, cold.... But to the pre-seasoned '2nd Winter' rookie, there is a feel. Or at very least that internal hope. Loved the Halibut and Salmon through the winter, and the freezer is getting low. No less in time for a new and hopeful season of fishing. Wood....would you believe we went through the wood, man?! What did I say back in September? Started out with around 12 cords?? We are down now to about 2 and 1/2, 3 now. It was a cold winter. Maryann insisted on a new ceiling fan up in the 'go-go cage' and like a fool I denied her this. But when we finally got a new one a couple months back, viola! Heat was being evenly dispersed about the house and efficiency was again retained. I made a silent/verbal suggestion just before we left Dorrington. I stated that I intended to do no more renovation/remodeling of any type on my own home for at least 2 years. After the long process of updating the cabin in Dorrington, and the even tougher push to wind it up on time for putting it in market in March of 2007 I had pretty much had enough for a while. Well, that 2 years is about up. We moved into the house here in June 2007 and it is in need of updating, renovating, maintaining and the like. My hiatus is about done. The jig is up! Where will I start? Where do you start??!! John is pretty intrigued by the idea of turning the unfinished basement room into a studio apartment complete with bathroom and mini kitchen. And we have been studying on that quite a bit actually. So that is probably the first order of the 3rd year.

Other than that, we are gearing up and still....still....grateful to be here, happy about what we have all accomplished and feel very blessed. Oh, another 'official'. We have all officially applied for the 2008 PFD!! Woo-hoo!! Now lets just hope that since the crash of the oil market that we still get something come October. HHMMMM.... Unofficially, we are setting our sights for a trip outside in Fall. HHMMMM..... HHMMMMMM! Yes, we will see about all of this official unofficiality.... Stay tuned......