Class updates

Remember those classes I'm taking? The last few weeks I've sort of felt like I couldn't catch my breath. Would you believe that my Supervisor sent me a link to another course on Market Conduct Examinations. It starts November 28th.

I also got an email a couple weeks ago from our Accounting Clerk:

Sarah,
Would you like me to process your registration for these courses?
Disability Part I (11/7 - 2/24)
HIPAA Primer (11/7 - 2/24)

~ Accounting Clerk

Hmm. They may start 11/7 but I don't think I'll be ready until Mid-December. I guess I have my winter entertainment planned.

Getting Ready for Winter

Winter is in the air. It's getting colder. That snow line is falling lower and lower down the mountain. We've started our winter preparations:

• Put on the studded snow tires - Check.


• Pull out the winter coats - Done.


• Replace Rain Boots with Snow Boots - TBD


• Lubricate door locks -To Do


• Seal windows - To Do


• Stock up on books and movies for long winter nights - To Do


• Dark commute both ways - Already.

Save for Retirement Week: Oct 16 - 22

Have you looked at your account statements lately? Read a good book about finances?
Did you know that the IRS raised the contribution limit to $17,000 for 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans for 2012?

Take some time this week to look at your retirement savings picture.

What I am doing: I ran some retirement calculators and found that we are "done" saving for retirement. We don't believe it and won't stop saving (especially since Mr. X wouldn't mind an early retirement, like tomorrow), but I know that means we can start looking at other things to invest in. Like a house.

Last week we went house shopping and hope to get serious about buying something in the near future. Maybe. We've done this before so I'm not sure how serious we'll be.

My Favorite: Sea to Summit Water Bag

As I mentioned in the Peterson Lake Cabin post, I love my new water bag. It's smaller than a deck of cards, weighs in at less than 3 oz, yet scoops up 10 liters (2.6 gallons) of water in one swoop.

The bag stands up on its own, so you fill it and forget it until you need more water. Just store it away from children or animals as the bag is fabric it can be pushed or tugged over with a splash.

It is made from waterproofed nylon fabric. It has a thick cloth handle and a small handle on the side of the bag to assist with pouring.

We used the bag to collect enough water for two people for 24 hours for cooking, drinking and cleaning. In the end we poured out more than half of it because it was unneeded.

On the Chilkoot we saw several hikers with similar bags that they filled with freezing glacial runoff and then set aside to warm in the sun.

It is a luxury item, but one that both Mr. X and I agree is worth it weight, especially when camping in wet, cold SE Alaska.

Juneau News: Dog-sitter's worst nightmare

2 black labs stop Alaska Airlines from landing on initial approach

Deputy Airport Manager Patty deLaBruere tells us that Flight 64 (Boeing 737) was coming in for a landing at about 2:30 pm when two black labs were spotted on the runway. The plane had to abort that landing, attempt to do a go around before it could land.

Chava Lee of the Gastineau Humane Society says an Animal Control Officer caught one of the dogs. The owner of the one that was nabbed on the runway is out of town. The animal was in the care of another person at the time. Lee says the owner will be cited.

Lee says they don't know yet how they got on the runway. deLaBruere says the dogs could have come from the Airport Dike Trail, through the wetlands from a neighborhood in the area, or they could have gotten loose from owners while on the airport grounds. - KINY Radio

Message to T and E: We were out walking on the wetlands near the airport at 2:30 p.m. yesterday. We promise none of your dogs were on the runway.

Back to School

The last two years I've enjoyed getting into the back-to-school spirit by preparing Mr. X for Seminary. I bought pens, pencils, notebooks, sharpies, kleenex, dry-erase markers, hand sanitizer, the works. In order to not miss out this year I decided to keep myself busy...maybe too busy.


I have to take several professional classes for continuing education, so I was all set with Medical Expense Insurance and Regulatory Compliance for this semester.


But then Mr. X and I were discussing accounting last week and how I'd like to take a class. Two days later I received an email offering me an accounting class from the local university, paid for by my employer and held at my worksite over lunch. Score!


So that's my plan this fall. Three classes. Should keep me happy. Or crazy.

Peterson Lake Cabin

It's been raining - I mean really raining - for two straight weeks. We've had flood warnings on lakes and rivers. The streams have been brown with runoff instead of their usual pristine crystal blue.

Mr. X had a cold. In fact he'd been nursing it all week. So Thursday night when I asked him if we were keeping our reservation, he was guarded. We packed, but not confidently.

Friday evening when Mr. X picked me up in a torrental downpour I questioned why we torture ourselves. Why do we bother hiking in the rain?

Nevertheless, we headed out the road to mile 24 to hit the trail.

We'd heard terrible things about this trail. Knee-deep to thigh-deep mud all 4.25 miles. The rain we've gotten was sure to make the trail that much more enjoyable.

We also knew that we were hitting the trail late in the day, when bears would be active and we desired to be at the cabin before night fall. Thankfully, the Peterson Lake Trail has an elevation gain of 700 feet so, I calculated 2 - 2.5 hours for the hike in. Plenty of time before dark.

Trail follows historic tram route

We followed the trail through gorgeous forests, across muskeg just changing color for the fall, past incredible waterfalls and finally along the Peterson lake edged with lily pads. I was surprised at the good trail. There have been some improvements, particularly in the first mile of the trail - but I was hiking in rubber boots and rain gear so the muddy spots weren't anything I should have been afraid of. I compared the trail to Cowee Meadow to Camping Cove trails which can be rooty and muddy as well.

Boards from 1910 tram

We reached the cabin at 7:30, 1 hour 50 minutes after leaving the car. We got out of our wet clothes (fortunately, it really didn't rain on us, we felt very lucky), inspected the new boat and new outhouse and then turned to our chores. Mr. X grabbed my new collapsable bucket and headed for the roaring stream behind the cabin. Instead of standing on a mossy rock, balancing filter and bottle, he just scooped up water and placed the bucket on the front porch in case we wanted water later.



We were (probably) the second group to use the newly remodeled cabin. The walls and ceilings have new tongue and groove panneling. The bunks, table, "kitchen" are all brand new. The deck, dock and cabin trail have been updated. We were pleased with how clean everything was.


By now, it was dark, so we sat down to do some reading. Mr. X lit a candle and balanced his guide headlamp on the table. I read the history of Peterson Lake.


Sometime in the middle of the night we both woke up to soft scratching sounds. I couldn't identify the source. I thought mouse or squirrel. Mr. X had seen the reflection of the eyes of a weasel, marmet, or wolverine. The skies cleared and I enjoyed actually seeing stars.


In the morning, armed with hat and neck gator I sat under the eaves on the porch to read my book. A duck flew by. A stellar jay and winter wren checked me out. In fact, the winter wren (which is smaller than my palm), made such a racket, I thought a bear was going to come around the side of the cabin.


At 9:45, I suggested that since this cabin is a "warming shelter" and only 168 square feet that we get dressed before any hikers came knocking. We had just exchanged long johns and lounge pants for our muddy rain gear when a Forest Service employee walzed up the path. He was there to collect 60 - 80 lbs of equipment left from the cabin remodel. Yes, he did fit everything in his backpack and turned back down the trail, thankfully leaving a bottle hand sanitizer and a roll of TP for future renters to enjoy.


Mr. X then gave me rowing lessons and I rowed us around the lake, looking at lily pads as we went. After a quick lunch we packed up for the trek back to the car. We sure had enjoyed the tranquillity and freedom from cares on our short trip. I think I'll be back (perhaps, AFTER, they finish fixing the trail) next summer.