My Dad

My dad left this world March 2, 2012, at 86 years old.

He suffered a heart attack and stroke last summer. Following rehab he returned home in September and appeared to be thriving. He was walking every day when weather permitted and was doing very well. Shortly before Christmas he apparently suffered another stroke, followed by a number of mini strokes. The MRI in January showed a great deal of damage to his brain. I noticed when I phoned home his speech was often slurred.

My sister called me Feb. 24 to say the family had called the hospice in and his time was limited. Over the weekend I changed my April travel plans and flew down to PA Feb. 28.

I was able to spend several days with him, reminiscing and catching up. He told me "I've been waiting for you," when I arrived and asked me about the Iditarod. My mother, sister and I were with him at the end, which was quiet. The last several days he was obviously in pain, often grasping his head, sometimes with both hands. Even the morphine didn't seem to help it.

Paul Hoffman was born Jan. 25, 1926. He lived his whole life - except for a stint in the Navy - in Liverpool, PA.

My dad was a simple, unpretentious man. He wanted nothing more than what he needed to survive and raise his family. He loved his wife and six children and his friends. His dogs - fox and coon hounds - were his companions on his frequent trips to the woods.

He was a vibrant, active man until a bout of encephalitis in 1968. After that, he could no longer work at his bricklaying job and was medically retired. The disease also left him with headaches that would remain with him the rest of his life. He rarely complained about pain, but it was occasionally obvious.

Dad had a very dry wit and a homespun sense of humor. He was blessed with an extraordinary amount of common sense.

Dad believed if you started a project, you saw it through to the end, and you didn't take shortcuts. You did it the right way and ended up with a quality product. He was very patient and always took the time to explain how things worked when we had questions. He taught us how to work out our problems.

He loved the woods. We took many walks with Dad in those woods just outside our yard. He taught us to identify animal droppings and footprints. We learned to identify trees by their bark and leaves. He showed us what plants are edible (though not always very tasty). He once got us all out of bed and into coats to go out and see the northern lights - my very first sighting of them, as they are uncommon in PA.

Although I remember him fishing when I was younger, his real love was hunting. No matter what he shot, we ate. I remember lots of venison (love it), rattlesnake (good), bear and groundhog (both greasy and not very good). We had bear and groundhog just once that I recall. But if he said we should try it, I did, because he was my hero.

In his later years, Dad's hearing and eyesight weakened, and he walked in the woods just to enjoy the wilderness. He loved watching wild turkeys and had a special spot where he would sit on a stone bench he made by stacking flat rocks.

He was very interested in the Iditarod and would ask me about it on my weekly Saturday morning phone calls. It took several years, but I finally convinced him there is another long-distance sled dog race in Alaska. After that he would ask about the Yukon Quest progress while it was running. He was intrigued by Lance Mackey and asked me about him often. I think he was disappointed Mackey came in third in this year's Quest.

I loved that he was incredibly politically incorrect. He said exactly what was on his mind and used words and phrases that are no longer acceptable in today's world. But he was not a bigot, nor was he intolerant of others.

He didn't like stupidity and he often lambasted politicians on tv. He once told me there are too many laws now, and we all made it to adulthood without seat belts and helmets.

Dad was a scoutmaster for many years. Many of the young men in our hometown learned from his Boy Scout lessons.

He liked crosswords and cryptograms and worked the puzzles daily because he said it kept his mind sharp. He loved sitting on his front porch, watching who drove by and enjoying the flowers in his planters. He fed the hummingbirds every summer and ensured they had plenty of nectar to drink.

There is so much I could say about my dad. He taught us to honor our country and our elders. He taught us to take care of ourselves and each other. He taught us that nothing is more important than family.

What he left was strong memories and a lot of love. I know he will always be with me, but I will miss our Saturday conversations and hearing his voice.

I picture his heaven as a huge wooded area full of friends and family who preceded him, where he can spend eternity watching nature.

I love you and miss you Dad. Rest in peace.



handsome sailor





50th anniversary




working crosswords on the porch



February in Fairbanks

It's been easier than ever making my way through February this year. After the 40-below temperatures, I have found the teens and 20s to be very pleasant. When I factor in the increasing minutes of daylight, it makes breakup seem even closer. I know we are not through winter yet, but the warmer weather and added light make it easier.

I leave for work very early, and have had to stop the car on the side of the road several times to open the window and watch the northern lights dance across the sky. What a great show!

Thursday I went to a meeting and as I entered the building, the sunrise was gorgeous. I put down my bag and got out the small camera that is always with me. This time of year is great for beautiful skies, both morning and evening.

I'm finishing up a 4-1/2 day weekend, although it doesn't really seem like it. I had several appointments both Thursday and Friday. Saturday was housecleaning & laundry, plus a turn at shoveling off the porch. I have someone who takes care of the sidewalk & driveway, but he doesn't do the porch. Since it's been so nice, I want to get the porch ready for sitting and enjoying the relatively warm weather. Buddy enjoyed a longer-than-normal yard time while I worked. Sunday I shopped and cooked - meatloaf (I love cold meatloaf sandwiches) and turkey parts for a turkey salad. Today, I'm planning to be lazy - television, my Nook and petting the dog. And then tomorrow it's back to work.

The Yukon Quest is over, the last musher across the finish line in Whitehorse. Hugh Neff, a 10-year veteran, won this one. I was glad to see him win. He's put in a lot of time and effort over the years, and has come close in the past. It would have been cool to be at the finish line - the 2nd-place musher was just 26 seconds behind Neff. This was the closest ever between 1st & 2nd place.

We have the North American sprint races coming up in March, then mushing season is over here - and that's sure sign of spring!

Ice Park will open the end of this month and we'll be able to see the ice sculptures through March. They are in a new location and I'm eager to see the sculptures and the park's new home.

Spring training will begin soon in Arizona and Florida. I'm disappointed I won't be going this year, but I will follow it by logging onto several websites and checking out the photos. It's not as good as actually being there, but it helps a little just knowing baseball season is right around the corner.

Happy February everyone. I hope it's a good spring for you.

Staying warm at 45 below

I planned to update this several weeks ago, but got sidetracked and let it go. So, finally, when 45 below is in the past, here I am.

I have been truly enjoying the warmer weather, with temperatures into the 20s and even 30s. It's wonderful after the bitter cold. My love of Alaska no longer extends to the extreme cold. I practiced some serious hibernation techniques.

I went out only when necessary and had a routine for that:

1.  Warm up the car at least 15 minutes (I don't have a garage).
2. Go from warm house to warm car.
3. Go from warm car to warm office or store.
4.  Reverse numbers 2 and 3.
5.  Dress very warmly in layers.
6.  If the mail carrier hasn't been by when I arrive home, pick up the mail in the morning when I leave for work.
7.  Make rib-sticking comfort food.
8.  Hot coffee in the morning - hot chocolate other times.
9. Revel in my new furnace! I'm so glad they said it had to be replaced last fall and couldn't wait until summer 2012.

There were a few positives to the weather.

1.  Northern lights on the way to work - on a couple of clear mornings.
2.  The fox who doesn't seem to mind the weather. She was out wandering around several mornings near the office.
3.  The moose who can handle the cold. I love watching them stroll slowly across the street, as long as they're well in front of my car.
4.  Genealogy - because I didn't want to go out, I was online honing my research skills and looking for long-dead relatives. I didn't find anyone new, but I was able to locate some information on military service, a will and church documents.

I'll be going back to PA this spring to see my parents, and purchased a new wand-like scanner so I can scan the photos in my mother's albums. I will be practicing with it before I leave here. It has a memory card slot (with a card inserted), so I should be able to bring back a lot of old pictures.

Although I know this is just February, and that more cold temperatures are almost guaranteed, I'm loving the warmer weather as long as it lasts. In just a little over two weeks Spring Training will start and then it's just another month until April and Breakup.

I'd love to be going to Spring Training again, but I figured I'd save the money for the PA trip. So while I wait for spring and seeing my family again, I'll just dream of baseball parks and warm weather.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Happy 2012 - 2011 was a mixed bag

2012 arrived with cold temperatures, although much more seasonal than those in the 20s and teens above zero.

I really didn't go out - just to the yard with the dog. I didn't even shoot the photo outdoors - right through the (dirty) window.

I cooked my annual pork & sauerkraut dinner, had a few folks over and cleaned up and relaxed the rest of the day.

The only snag was my printer. I wanted to print off a few photos for my sister, but the printer was not cooperating. I did diagnostics, tried checking the settings, but nothing worked. I finally uninstalled the printer software, reinstalled and was able to get it working at last. The printer is only a year old, and I wasn't ready for this!

As I do most at the start of most new years, I reflected back on the past year. It was one filled with travel and visiting with friends and family I don't see as frequently as I'd like. Some of the travel was good, some not so good.

My friend Mae and I traveled to the Southwest to see our friend Bonnie and her husband Junior in March. Mae, Bonnie and I all worked together many years ago, and Bonnie retired in late spring 2011. Our trip was a sort of retirement party.

We flew in to El Paso, Texas, about an hour from Las Cruces, NM, where Bonnie & Junior live. After a stop at an outlet mall, we continued to Las Cruces, where we had an early night. Early the next day we started the drive to Phoenix. In Phoenix, we saw six baseball games in three days. We visited Tempe Diablo Stadium, Surprise Stadium and the three newest ballparks - Goodyear Ballpark, Camelback Ranch Stadium and Salt Fields Ballpark. As always, it was wonderful to sit in the sun with my friends, watching major league baseball without the high prices and crowds of the major league parks. Spring training must be my very favorite vacation.

We had terrific company and tried a couple of new places to eat in Phoenix, and thoroughly eating at Chino Bandidos again. This restaurant, which has been featured on the Travel Channel on several programs, serves a delicious mix of Mexican and Chinese food. You pick the meat, the rice and whatever else you want on your plate. They opened a second location and we went to the new one this year.

On the way back to Las Cruces, Junior detoured so we could visit Tombstone. I grew up watching westerns on television, so this was a treat for me. My husband, daughter and I visited Dodge City in 1987, and I really looked forward to seeing Tombstone. The only disappointment was that the OK Corral was closed. It's located behind a big garage-like door, and we were several hours before it opened. However, we needed to get back so we enjoyed the rest of the town, strolling down wooden sidewalks, watching stagecoach and covered wagons roll down the dusty streets and stopping off in mercantiles and other shops. Much fun!

While we were in Las Cruces I got a call that I would have to go to San Antonio shortly after my return.

As luck would have it, by the time I reached San Antonio, I was barely recovered from a bout of bronchitis, so I was miserable. It was HOT (97 and up) and very humid. I had trouble breathing, was coughing and not comfortable at all. My room at the Grand Hyatt, however, was very nice and everything in the area was air conditioned. I did take one morning and take a trolley ride around the city, stopping at various old missions in the area. I didn't get off the trolley, but enjoyed the driver's narration of all the sites and took a few photos from the vehicle. My friend Felicia and I had dinner several times at the hotel's restaurant, which had outdoor dining on the Riverwalk. It was fun watching the people walking by and the little birds standing by watching for crumbs.

Despite the oppressive heat and humidity and the bronchitis, the conference was much better than the 2010 one, and I came back with some great information.

Shortly after I returned I received orders to report to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, the last week of May for two weeks. Schofield Barracks is just south of Oahu's North Shore, and my friend Tracey, who used to work with me, lives there now. I haven't seen her since she left here about 5 years ago. I was able to spend a little time with her, her mother and two children. Although it was more humid there, it wasn't as bad as Texas and there was an almost constant breeze. I had my first shave ice (loved it), saw the Banzai Pipeline (kind of tame in May, no super large waves) and visited the town of Hale Iwa, surf town extraordinaire. When I wasn't working, I enjoyed watching the birds, looking at the sea and the flowers. Good trip, but I was really glad to get back to Fairbanks.

By this time, I'm tired of traveling and looking forward to staying home for a while. At the end of June, my dad had a heart attack and bypass surgery. The day after the surgery, he had a stroke. I had planned to go to PA at the end of July to help my mother when Dad returned from rehab. However, following the stroke there were several scares and I changed my plans and flew down July 4. I spent a couple of weeks, visiting Dad and spending time with my sisters, brother and mother. It was good to see everyone, but a very tense, frightening couple of weeks. Dad is home now, and recovering slowly. It's so hard to see one's parents age - and I don't get to see it happening, so it seems like a drastic change when I do see them. I did manage to get in some reflective, meditative time on Dad's front porch watching the sunrise over the Susquehanna River and enjoy his flowers. It's very hard to think of them as aging, but it is happening fast.

The photo of Dad is at the rehab center. It's good to see him laugh. He was so very sick, I wasn't sure I'd make it across the country in time to talk with him. I'm so grateful we have him for a while longer.

The rest of the year fairly flew by. In September, Mae and I took our annual train trip to Denali National Park. Although it was cloudy and rainy, the colors were still very pretty and we had a relaxing time.

The Tuesday before our Friday trip, I had an inspector out to tune up my furnace. I asked him for an estimate on a new furnace, as this one was pretty old and I planned to replace it in the spring. He told me he had to disconnect the unit, as it wasn't safe, and state law requires it. I was shocked - this was September after all, and I couldn't go without heat. I found someone who could install a new one that week. So I had a friend sit at the house all day Friday (while I was enjoying the train ride and Denali) while the crew removed the old furnace and installed the new one. I wasn't too happy spending nearly $6,000 - wanted to save some more so my credit card didn't get hit too hard - but now as it's 20 below, I'm so glad I replaced it before winter hit. I remember sitting here worried every time I didn't hear the old one run, wondering if I had to call a repairman. And at the same time, I hated all the times it ran, imagining all that money just going up in flames. The new one is quiet, keeps the house nice and toasty and doesn't run nearly as much as the old one. And so far it's using 1/3 to 1/2 the fuel the old one used.

After seeing family in the summer, I decided to visit my granddaughters in Spokane, Wash. They live with their dad and stepmother there, with a little sister and 2 little brothers. The family welcomed me and made me feel a part of their family. I was so happy to see two beautiful young girls, 13 and 14, well-adjusted, polite, witty - well, all the things a grandma would say about her girls. I thoroughly enjoyed spending a long weekend with them and hope to see them again this year.

November and December flew by and we're now in a new year. I will likely go back to PA this spring and hopefully make another trip to Spokane. I'm hoping the business trips will be curtailed - I really like staying here, especially in the spring and summer.

I wish for all of you a 2012 filled with good health and great joy. Happy New Year.

More snow, cold - and a rock

I had a wonderful Christmas day with my daughter & family; phone calls to loved ones out of state; very tasty prime rib roast; relaxing and enjoying everything.

By 3 p.m. the kitchen was cleaned and the tree down and put away for another 11 months. I put it up the day after Thanksgiving and I'm always ready to put it away and watch winter go away. Although it's several months away, I like seeing the daylight come through the window earlier in the mornings and last later into the afternoons. Since the tree sits right in front of the window, putting it away now lets in more light.

I looked out late yesterday afternoon and could tell by the softness of the street lights it was snowing - and boy was it ever! It was coming down fast and steady. I go back to work tomorrow, so I thought I'd brush the four new inches off the car today and get a head start. It is somewhere between 15 and 20 below, so I got a bit chilled, but warm boots and coat really help. It was the gloves that took the worst of it.

I brushed the snow off the bird feeders a week ago when I filled them. Looks like one needs new seed already, but there's still plenty there.

Buddy just told me he wanted to go out, so off we went. As soon as we hit the porch, he pulled off all four booties, as he does all the time. Here he is after about 5 minutes, wanting to come back indoors because his feet are cold. Notice the two front feet are not touching any snow. I think if he could figure out a way to get all four up at once, he'd do it. He just cannot seem to figure out those booties keep his feet warm! It was hard to get a good sharp shot as he was shivering and moving. I figured I should put him out of his misery and bring him back in. Note how his breath frosts his beard.

Several years ago my friend Mae and I drove to the Salcha River Rec area just for a short ride. My granddaughter Maddy has a habit of picking up stones and rocks wherever she is, and I guess some of it rubbed off. I saw an interesting stone at the water's edge and put it into the car. It barely fits into my palm and I can't close my fist over it. It has a reddish-brown color over much of it, but there are spots where it looks as though it was once white. I thought it might be quartz that had spent a lot of time in some water rich in iron. The rock has cracks all over and Saturday I decided to wiggle the loose end to see what's inside. I was surprised to see a deep red color covering much of the inside. It has some white marbeling and some very tiny, sparkly gold-colored flecks - almost like glitter. Very pretty. My brother-in-law, a rock hound in Arizona, said it sounds like an agate. I emailed a few photos to a professor at UAF with whom I've worked a few times to see if he might be able to identify it.

Stay warm everyone.

Fairbanks winter is more than cold and dark

Every now and then friends from the Lower 48 tell me they don't know how I deal with the cold and dark in the winter up here. I usually just say the summers more than compensate. But that's not the whole truth.

Fairbanks winters are beautiful in a Christmas-card kind of way. The trees are covered with snow, and the spruces especially remind me of Currier and Ives cards or the old Budweiser commercials at Christmas - the ones with the wonderful Clydesdales pulling a sleigh. Fresh snow on the trees and sides of the roads make everything look pristine.

Yesterday morning on my way to an appointment I noticed the car in front of me sitting in the left-turn lane where there was no street to turn onto. A second later I saw a moose step into the street. A huge cow, she very slowly moved past his car and sauntered across the street. She was in no hurry and simply walked slowly to the vacant lot on the opposite side, next to an apartment complex. Drivers watched her, then waited, as did I, to see if a calf followed. She was alone, so we proceeded on our various ways. I don't know if the other drivers marveled at this animal as I did. They are so large - and this one was very big - and yet so graceful. Their legs remind me of piano legs, very slender. They don't seem capable of holding up such a big beast. In addition to the graceful movements as they walk from one spot to another, the moose can move incredibly fast for their size. I always consider myself very lucky to see one, especially because I live in town and they are not as plentiful here as in more rural, wooded areas.

A couple of blocks later I drove past Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. The spruce trees along the sidewalks and parking lots were festooned with strings of white lights, giving even this clearly urban spot a holiday feeling.

On a good clear day, we can see the snowy peaks of the Alaska Range, and on a great day we can see Mt. McKinley. This view against a bright blue sky is awesome. I never get tired of looking at these mountains.

On a good clear night, we are often treated to incredible light shows as the Northern Lights dance across the sky. Once again, living in town has some drawbacks as the city lights really interfere with light-watching. However, it's only a short drive until we are out of town and can see nature's lights more clearly. I never tire of watching them move and sway.

There's a lot to do here - skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, ice-fishing, sled-dog races (or mushing yourself), hockey, basketball, concerts, plays, art - all sorts of both indoor and outdoor activities. It's never a boring place.

Above all, Fairbanks winters seem to create in people a kind of kinship. We all have in common the cold temperatures, the high heating oil and gasoline prices and the darkness. We share horror stories and solutions to problems stemming from the cold and darkness. Strangers smile at each other in the stores and on the streets. The friendliness of Fairbanksans makes it a special place to live.

Today is winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and one of my favorite days. It means we will soon be gaining daylight, at first by seconds, then minutes. Happy solstice!
I will admit I'm not particularly fond of the extreme cold and the darkness seems to bother me more each year. But the amenities of living here - the wildlife, the mountains, the Northern Lights - make it all worthwhile.

Merry Christmas everyone. May 2012 be healthy, happy and prosperous for all of you.

Thanksgiving

Since I don't seem able to do a daily thankful post, I thought I'd lump it into one. Every year there are certain days I look over what I have and give thanks for it. One of those, of course, is Thanksgiving.

I am very thankful for my family - parents, sisters, brother, daughter, grandchildren (and steps and halfs), nieces and nephews, cousins - and the friends who may not be genetic relatives but are family nonetheless.

I am thankful I have a job that allows me to work with the most amazing group of people. And I'm thankful my job gives me the opportunity to travel occasionally and pays well enough that I can travel for nothing but pleasure other times. And I am thankful that my health, although not great, is still good enough to make that travel fun.



Clock tower at Spokane, WA's, Riverfront Park



State Capitol and other buildings, Harrisburg, PA





Oahu's North Shore, Hawaii





old mission in San Antonio, Texas



Tombstone, Arizona

I'm thankful my friends like baseball and we can enjoy Cactus League Spring Training in Phoenix together. It's the best vacation after a long Fairbanks winter. And it's not too hot yet.

I'm thankful every day for the beauty of this place I call home. Whether it's right here in Fairbanks or down at Denali National Park, whether it's summer or winter - it's beautiful. Northern lights and the Alaska Range make the cold temperatures tolerable. And the glorious colors of grass and sky and flowers make the summers pure pleasure. How lucky I am to live here.

Above all this year, I am thankful my wonderful dad survived a heart attack, surgery and stroke and is recovering well. I love talking with him on the phone every weekend and I thank God every day for allowing us to have Dad for a while longer.

I know there's a lot I didn't cover here, but my life is so full of wonderful family and friends and good times, there's no way I could possibly touch on all of my blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.