Snow Cometh

As ludicrous as it seems, I am looking forward to the first snowfall. It makes everything look so clean and lovely. It's more than just the beauty though that I'm anticipating. I can't wait for the lines of the parking lots to be covered so you can drive and park however you want! It's a sense of freedom I've never experienced. Disconcerting at first, but once you give into it, boy it feels good!

SLP Corner: No IEPs!

* Warning: this post is heavy on the SLP talk and jargon. Read on if you dare!

I think I may have found the perfect job: minimal direct therapy, lots of assessments and no IEPs! My new job is working for SERRC, a non-profit funded by grants and contracts. There are several divisions to SERRC, and I work for the part that contracts with school districts to provide their SPED needs.

Their needs may be speech, OT, PT or general SPED administrative support. Some districts need OT and PT but not speech. Or vice versa. Typically these are rural school districts that don't have enough of a caseload to warrant hiring a full-time or part-time therapist, so they contract with SERRC.

My Crib

I have a new apartment: 2 bedrooms, heated garage (woohoo!) and I'm on the second story. Another apartment is on the first floor. It's decidedly more enviable than the luxurious Jillian Square apartments, yet the neighborhood leaves something to be desired. A snow covering will do wonders for the neighborhood! I can't wait.

Let's take a tour, shall we? (Excuse the mess...)

It's Fall. In August?

Seems that I made it to Fairbanks just in time for fall: crisp air laden with the scent of wood burning stoves, warm days but an extra blanket required at night, and leaves turning scarlet and gold. Surely one of my favorite times of year. But in August?

 

Bumps, Cats, and Troopers

3177 miles. Two international border crossings. Two cats that meowed the first two hours (and then some) every day of 7 days of travel. California, Oregon, Seattle, British Columbia, the Yukon and finally,  Fairbanks. We survived with out a flat tire, cracked windshield or having to call UHaul (which was fortunate since I lost the paperwork with the emergency number in case the trailer broke down), and no one was arrested.

Leaving California

To Be Continued...

It's hard to believe that my four month stint in Fairbanks is over and I'm already back in California. It's been odd getting used to dark skies at 9:00 and the relentless traffic. In many ways it feels like I never left. This is both comforting and disconcerting. I've had new experiences and have changed, yet nothing else has.

In August I'll be returning to Fairbanks but this time in a slightly different capacity from my previous position. More details on that come. I'll be driving my car up to Fairbanks. Seeing how well I navigated that small town, it's sure to be an interesting drive. 

I enjoyed my time in Fairbanks immensely. It was just what I needed -- a change in perspective. While there I felt as though I was in a protective bubble, on an extended vacation. It never felt like real life. But the friends I made certainly were real and I look forward to seeing them all again. As for now, I'm enjoying catching up with my California friends.

I know the long Alaska days make summer there special, but honestly, California summers are hard to beat. I've already been camping in the Sierras and I don't think there is any place on Earth that is as exquisite as the Sierra Nevada range. Regardless of where I am in the world, those mountains have my heart. The California coast is also amazing, not to mention the Napa Valley and my patio! So much to do this summer!

Have a good summer y'all and I look forward to filling you in on the details of my next Alaskan stint. Hopefully with tales of ice climbing, dog mushing, more snowshoeing, and of course whatever trouble comes my way.

Magnificent Denali as seen from Talkeetna.

ManCamp

If you find yourself working on the pipeline in Valdez, AK and you need a place to crash, you can stay at ManCamp. Only $93 a night and your three squares are included!