Christmas break

December was so different than I had imagined it would be. First of all, we had no snow. Second, our temperatures were warm. Everyone seemed surprised by this. Probably, I was the most surprised. We did have spells of ice, but nothing too serious. The warm weather seemed to play havoc with the frozen river. Across the top of the river, a layer of slush formed, making travel difficult. Most of the time you just got wet. At other times, you simply didn't move. The ice under you didn't allow you to move forward. Such strange weather.

As first semester wound down, I found myself thinking about home. I was so anxious to leave. Our classes weren't done until December 23. With a major snowfall in the Midwest, I worried about my flights home. I submitted my grades on Tuesday and was packed and ready to go. On Wednesday we had our Christmas program in the morning, and then after lunch, school was over. Three weeks of vacation! We packed the truck and drove across the ice to the airstrip and waited for the plane. I had changed my reservation to leave at 2:30 rather than 8:30 in the evening. That allowed extra time in Anchorage for a little last minute shopping.

The plane flight to Bethel really showed the bare ground and frozen river. It was so bleak. The river trail to Bethel had been marked by birch limbs. Branches were placed in the frozen river marking the road. This allows the drivers to travel safely on the frozen river. I could see a few snowmachines as we neared Bethel.

The trip home was smooth. No delays! I must admit I was exhausted, though. I left Kasigluk on Wednesday., Dec. 23 at 1 PM and arrived in Peoria on Thursday, Dec., 24 at 5:30. Home sweet home.