To Grandmother’s House I Go . . . .

This afternoon I hop the ferry to Juneau, to catch a plane tomorrow for Seattle. I’m headed Outside for a visit to my last surviving grandparents and other relatives.

Grandma and Grandpa live in Nevada, near Reno. My sisters and I will drive down from Washington. We’ll probably also cross over to California to see an aunt and uncle.

My dad and step mother were supposed to go with us, but Dad’s health won’t allow it. When we return from Nevada, I’ll spend a few days with them in Yakima before returning to Alaska.

Before the road trip, I’ll visit with Aly and her boyfriend at their college, and see some cousins, aunts and uncles on the west side of the Cascade Mountains. It’s going to be a marathon visit, with some weird twists, which I’ll explain in future posts.

I can’t believe I’m leaving Alaska in one of my favorite months of the year! I’d be sad to go at any time, though, and family health makes this trip pretty important.

I’d planned to suspend the blog for some of the trip, but circumstances dictate that I take my computer along with me. I don’t intend to blog about the trip, necessarily, as that isn’t what this blog is about. But, since I don’t have to plan this minute what I will post during the trip, It’ll be kind of off the cuff. Please excuse any gaps that may develop.

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The Lamps

Yesterday, on the last day of September, I cleaned and filled the oil lamps. I originally planned to perform this autumn chore on the Autumnal Equinox, either standard or local (see Preparing for the Dark Half of the Year) but Michelle’s folks arrived on the 22nd, so very little got done here at home.

So, as September drew to a close, and October waited to make its entrance, I prepared our oil lamps to greet it.

Drying oil lamp chimneys (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).

Drying oil lamp chimneys (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).

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