My Angel, Martha,

 Everyone should have an Angel like Martha. After several fortunate/unfortunate situations, Enel, Martha’s employer, closed their offices in Kansas City. That left Martha with time on her hands.  So why not do something that Martha has always wanted to do?  Drive the Can-Am Highway to Alaska? So that’s what she did. 

Along the way, in Edmonton, she picked up Cousin Rob‘s daughter, Libby, and the two them journeyed to McCarthy. It sounded like they had a fantastic time camping, driving and sightseeing all the way North. 

Martha left at the end of July and got to McCarthy on August 2.  Unfortunately, Libby had to leave way too early to get back to Chicago, but Martha got to stay for three weeks.

That was super fortunate for me because a few days before they got to McCarthy, I had gotten sick. It seems like during the whole month of July, people were getting a bad cold/virus all throughout McCarthy. I was lucky and stayed healthy until the very end of July.  

Like most of us, we try to power through it and self medicate. That’s what you actually have to do when you’re in the back country of Alaska. The nearest Dr/Hospital is 5+ hours away.  Before Martha got to me, I was able to work one or two hours in the morning and then I’d climb back in bed and sleep for the rest of the day. When she got to McCarthy, she took one look at me and basically said, “we’ve gotta get you to the doctor.”  We found out I had walking pneumonia. OK, let’s take some medicine, and get back to work, since I had missed about 2 weeks of work, just doing the bare minimum.  Regrettably, that’s what I did. I worked to catch up instead of making time for her.  I’m very sorry for that.

Martha was able to stay in McCarthy for three wonderful weeks. After Libby left, and I was feeling better, she decided to stay in my little yellow room in the pink house with the other employees.  While in McCarthy, Martha decided to set up shop at the desk next to mine in the Blue House.  She did odd jobs like learn about Bar Patrol and other things for Neil Darish during the day. She also got to go on hikes see the day-to-day operations of McCarthy.  It kind of felt like home, being next to her in the office before I retired. I loved every second of it.

I hope everybody else knows their Angel. My Angel is Martha, and for 30 years, she’s made me a better person.  I love her!  

October 14, 1995

Martha flew home from Alaska, so I could drive home.  And that’s how I got Martha’s car. 

Leaving …

 I’m leaving on a …

Wait, wait, wait, that’s not right.  Turn the dial and find the right words.

Well, my bags are packed and I’m ready to go …. That’s better.

Well gang, I’m alive. And yes, that’s Martha’s car, and I’m packed, and driving to Kansas City. How did I get Martha’s car in McCarthy? Well, I guess you’re gonna have to wait for another blog post to find out.  But let’s start here.

My last full workday for McCarthy Ventures was Friday, September 19. That’s Martha’s car with all my stuff packed in, and a lot from Martha, and a bit from Annie, and I’m ready to head out to Anchorage early Saturday morning, the 20th. I was taking four paintings back to Anchorage to two of the artist that spent time in McCarthy this summer. 

After rain and cloudy days for the past week and a half in McCarthy, Saturday morning started out beautiful. 6 1/2 hours later I found myself in Anchorage, but not after seeing some beautiful mountains and countryside along the way.

After dropping my paintings off to the artists, I met up with the remaining McCarthy gang that was leaving at the same time I was. I guess we could say this was our real last supper.

After that, I got a good nights sleep because I was starting my journey back home early in the morning. Some of the McCarthy gang were hanging around Anchorage for a couple of days, others were flying out later that night, scattered by the wind, like we were before we all met each other five months ago. It’s been quite a summer.

How do I get Martha’s car, again? Well, stay tuned, more to come, and more frequently. 

I’m Back!!

 

Remember me?

Well, I back to blogging.  But who knew Alaska and Canada had so many dead zones along the way. So, with spotty connectivity, a world of updates are coming …

The Dog Days of Summer

I don’t know what you do when you wake up, but each morning when I wake up, one of the first things I check (besides my fantasy football or baseball scores) is the weather on AccuWeather. Yesterday I saw the following:

Of course, I then compared that to the weather in McCarthy :

Holy cow, you guys are truly in the dog days of summer. That time period where it’s hot and humid at 8 AM in the morning with no relief in sight.  As I walked on the McCarthy Road, getting ready to call Martha from my morning chitchat, I had to smile and relish the cool wonderful weather that we have here, even in the dog days of summer. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!  Just look at those indoor humidity levels.  Aaahhhhh!

Speaking of trades, it wasn’t long after I left KC to come to Alaska that I kind of felt like a rookie in the NBA draft. The excitement of being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, or the world champion OKC Thunder, just to find out that two picks later in the draft, I’ve been traded to the Kansas City Kings.  (Wait, does KC still have a NBA team?)

No, Kansas City doesn’t have a team, but I do. I have a great team at home in my family. However, I felt like I was dealt on Draft day when the day after I left, as much as many as you know, Annie brought Martha a wonderful new puppy dog named Pico. 

I don’t need to tell anyone how much she loves Pico.   Just look at that face.  I know she loves Rio too, but clearly Pico has wiggled into her arms, her heart, and has found a very sweet spot to lounge in.

I do miss our animals as well as my family, but it’s not too bad in McCarthy either. I too have temporarily traded my poor Rio for the following wonderful dogs that thrive in and around McCarthy. 

 

I wouldn’t say that dogs run wild here, but clearly there are no leash laws.  Dogs are welcome everywhere, including the bar and the shuttles, and often just hang around in the middle of the road when you least expect them. Everyone loves them. 

 So while I’m here for the summer, I’m not dog-less. Martha has Pico and Rio, and I have my plethora of favorites like Nora, Kimmie, and Ophelia. 

Life is good when you can share it with a four legged animal.  But I’m only considering this a temporary trade until I get back to Kansas City with family and the real dogs!

Where’s Waldo 2

This summer is flying by and it’s hard to believe that I’m already halfway through my summer job.  Many of you are wondering what’s Byron been up to?

So like Waldo, sometimes you get lost in the wilderness and sometimes you need help getting found. Thanks to all my friends who keep asking, “What are you doing? When are you going to post next?”  Well, let’s see if I can’t get back on track, even back track, to let you know what’s been going on.

First, there are a lot of excuses to use for lack of posting.  Such as, 

I’ve been working too much so I needed to kick back and put my feet up and relax.

It’s cold outside.  

I’ve made new friends 

It’s open mic night

It’s raining and that always makes me tired.

It’s the 4th of July - all hands on deck!

And of course, when the big boss comes in town, I have to smoke a cigar and drink a Jamison and have many discussions about… I guess a lot of things.

Oh, did I mention that it’s beautiful here and the mountains keep calling my name.

Well, it all true.  But most of all, I miss you guys at home, but NOT the summer humidity!  (I think that I may have found a new summer home.)

Be well, and more to come, I promise.