Sooo, there was this pandemic thing going on and you’d think I’d have had plenty of time to craft a few entries. Time is not the excuse. The spirit just hasn’t been in me. But I detect the winds of change. 2023 is different, I feel it.
Since I’ve last written, a few major life events have occurred. I bought a house! And a year later I switched jobs again! I’m done with teaching for good this time. Although I know better than to say never…
Let’s start with the house. When I moved to Soldotna in August 2019, I immediately started looking, even though I wasn’t quite financially ready. This house was newly on the market and during our drives, looking at various houses, I always came back to this one. Other properties came and went, until finally I was ready, funding was secured – and then the WHO declared a pandemic. I was actually in Missouri over spring break and on my return trip, the airports and planes were empty. I had also begun to have my suspicions about why this house stayed on the market so long while others came and went in a matter of a few weeks. At last being able to see the inside, I understood why. Even though it has plenty of space, it was designed for a single person and the bathroom and appliances were outdated. It has an unique floor plan and even for a married couple, the space would be awkward. But it is perfect for me and Iris. We updated the bathroom and put a new washer and dryer in the basement. It sits on a little over an acre and I’ve spent much time outdoors ridding the property of the beetle-killed spruce trees. I love it here! And little did we know that the area is home to gazillions of feral rabbits. Iris is in bunny heaven!
When I started teaching again, I really thought I could do at least five years. There are probably several reasons why I felt burned out so quickly but in the end I think I’m not designed to be a high school teacher. In the spring of 2021, I landed a position with an avionics installation company in Kenai. I do the bookkeeping and purchasing. The general aviation industry in Alaska is pretty huge because so many places are only accessible by air or water. The company stays busy and so do I. It’s really fun to learn about all things aviation!
wild iris adventures 