Author Archives: Cathy

By most of the country’s standards, summer is still in full swing. Even if school has started, there are plenty of hot days and at least one long weekend to go before it’s over. Not here in the Soggy North. School will not start until the 20th (too soon, according to my oldest child), but looking out my window at the blowing rain, listening to the furnace kick on despite the thermometer setting of 63, the carefree days are essentially over.

Over for the kids, anyway. Hehehe. I’ll try not to gloat as I sit in my quiet house, sipping a second or third cup of coffee whilst donned in flannel pajamas. I’ll consider their hectic schedules as I make the difficult decision whether to shower before or after “Regis and Kelly.” I promise not to smirk as they labor over pages and pages of homework while I flip through the latest issue of People. I promise not to do these things because I am a good and kind mother (snerk).

But hey, I’ve done my summer duties. We spent some grand quality time together, had visitors and participated in all kinds of activities, went Outside for ten days to visit family and friends. All in all, it was a very good, fun summer. And now it’s time to get back on schedule, continue focusing on our goals and dreams. If I can do that in my pajamas, so much the better.

The guest post over at The Galaxy Express was a lot of fun. Heather’s Parallel Universe idea during the RWA National Convention brought out a nice array of topics and ideas. Thanks again, Heather! I said I’d post the piece that didn’t make the cut, but two things happened to kill that idea. First, my modem burned out. No Internets for the entire weekend! I don’t know who was more twitchy over the lack of networking, me or my 12 year old. I did slip into the library and checked email once, but I didn’t have the file with me anyway. Then, my mother and nephew arrived. Visiting took precedence over posting. And now, well, I’ve changed my mind about putting the piece up. At least for the time being.

The visit with Mom and Nephew went well. We got out on a few easy hikes, trundled to the glacier 50 miles down the gravel highway for lunch and some awesome calving, and generally enjoyed ourselves. Weather, always a questionable factor here in soggy south central AK, was mostly agreeable. The only downer was our boat breaking. Hubby wanted to take Nephew and our kids out fishing, but not being able to go further than line of sight made it less than enticing. But now Nephew and Daughter #1 are at Science Camp. They are getting plenty of outdoor time, even if it is wet. Yes, after two weeks of relatively dry and pleasant, we have rain. Lots and lots of rain.

The weather has also affected Hubby. He is overseeing a big research event, coordinating scientists from several universities and such on three different boats that should be out in the Sound running instruments and gathering data.

At least that was the plan. He was supposed to leave Monday afternoon, but a winter storm-type weather system roared into the area. Thirty to thirty-five knot winds have grown to 40-45, with rain increasing. Two of the boats had already left and are anchored in the lee of islands somewhere in the Sound, waiting for a break in the weather to get a little work done. Hope they brought a deck of cards.

Hubby and the two science dudes he was working with came back to our house last night for dinner and more comfortable accommodations than sleeping on the boat. They had managed to get a little data, but not nearly as much as they were hoping for. They are going back out today, but the weather is getting worse, so they won’t go far and will be back in port this afternoon. We’ll have them eat and sleep here and hope they can get out Wednesday. And not lose a $100K science instrument in crappy seas.

While they are anxious about getting the work done, they are philosophical about conditions. The weather is what it is. You can bitch, but that won’t help or change it. Just do what you can with what you have available, try to take advantage of small windows of opportunity, and be glad you can come back to a warm bed and a hot meal even when things have gone awry.

It’s an attitude I think we need to have more often, for all occasions.

Yikes! What happened to the latter half of June? My kids have been out of school since May 21 and it feels like we’ve hardly done a thing. One attended a week-long science day camp, the other went to girl scout camp, and we’ve gotten out on the boat a few times (fishing, but not catching), but generally we’ve been lay-abouts. Which is nice and all, but still, I feel a little sluggish compared to how quickly the month flew by. This last half before school starts in late August will probably whip by as well, but we have a busier schedule.

First up is the local Fourth of July extravaganza, complete with kids’ activities and a barbeque. Everyone comes. There won’t be fireworks, however. What, you say, no fireworks??? What’s 4th of July without fireworks? Well, considering it doesn’t get dark until nearly midnight in the summer, a public fireworks display is tough. There will be plenty of noise-making fireworks, I’m sure, but not the pretty ooh-ahhh light up the sky types. Or if there are any planned, I won’t be watching them. New Year’s Eve is the time for pretty fireworks displays in the North.

The week after the 4th, my mother and nephew will be coming from New York for a visit. Mom will stay a week before having to return, but my nephew will remain here. We’ll take them to the glacier and hopefully get out on the boat. Nephew will go to science camp with our oldest then stay another week for fun. We’ll travel with him to Seattle, see him off to his NY-bound plane then my kids and I will head to Spokane to visit the in-laws. Poor hubby has to stay home to work, take care of the critters, and prep for a 3 or 4 week research cruise off Hawaii that leaves the day after we return. Yeah, rough life.

After Spokane we’ll have a week or so before school starts up. Whew! How time flies. Like the hormones here in our house (DD#1 is 12 1/2, DD#2 is 9 and just hitting those pre-pubescent waves). No wonder hubby isn’t turning down the chance to be gone for weeks at a time.

But it’s been a good summer so far. Even the weather has been mostly cooperative–in the 60’s and low 70’s, no days and days of torrential rain but real sun. Often more than two days in a row! Crazy balmy, I know!

So how’s summer in your neck of the woods?