Back in AK

Just over three weeks ago, under a drizzly overcast sky, we eased White Fang the Adventure Minivan off the ferry ramp and back onto Alaskan soil, or, the parking lot of the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal to be exact.

It felt more than a little surreal to be here after seeing and experiencing so much. But you know when something smells good and earthy and familiar? Yep, home.



Even though I really believe home is where your heart is and where your loved ones are, the tangible ingredients that remind me of "home" are definitely here too. Lots of little (and big) critters everywhere? Check. Clean air to breathe and water to drink? Check. Mountains AND ocean? Check, check. I could keep going but the list would get too long.

However, right away, I could also see AND feel it in my bones that winter wasn't quite over yet in the 58th latitude. But there wasn't much time to dwell on the weather (which incidentally cleared up the very next day and remained very clear and sunny for two weeks straight- hallelujah!), because we had work to do. Lots of it.

Obviously, moving is a ton of work. And we've been doing lots of it between packing up an apartment and putting our things in storage here, traveling cross-country- not once, but twice- and moving onto and off a sailboat. And returning to Juneau hasn't been as simple as just unpacking because we've moved into a new rental which is truly an authentic Alaskan cabin in every sense.

Built on bedrock and right next to the ocean, this little cabin has been here for at least forty years. I know that's not a long time by some standards like on the East Coast, but for Juneau it's practically a vintage structure.



The views have been incredible.



I mean really, pictures just don't do it justice.



But in full disclosure, our "bathroom" is an outhouse situation and in this way it's like camping, or, living on a boat. Happily though, right away my dear MacGyver-in-residence got hot water hooked up for us via an on-demand propane heater that he installed so we could take baths and wash dishes easily. He's pretty awesome like that.

So during these first few weeks back in town, I've been doing everything I can to make our new place comfy and liveable while S is back at work. I'm also on the job hunt (hopefully I can share more about that soon!).



Yep, the adventures are totally continuing. We never seem to do things the easy way, but at least I won't be short on stories at an advanced age. I can just hear my very old future self now, "Way back in 2014, your grandfather and I lived in a one-room cabin in Alaska right next to the ocean with no bathroom..."  And though I reserve my right to complain about this temporary lack of amenities from time to time, I can't help but smile at that the thought of that.

"After" photos of our new digs to come soon...