(written on the 17th and 23rd)
It was nice to have a hotel to be in. Of course, it’s not really a hotel. It’s more like somebody’s mansion house that’s been converted into a sort of hotel thing.
But it was nice to have a place of my… own, so to speak.
Unfortunately, my back was pretty unhappy with me because of the trip. I didn’t suffer too much during the trip, but boy I definitely wasn’t doing well when I woke up this morning.
From the hotel, I headed over to the local Fairbanks Planet Fitness, hoping that maybe some exercise might help ease the pains and discomfort.
Been a long time since I’ve been in a gym. I had a membership to the local Gold’s Gym/Vasa Fitness in Millcreek at the Brickyard Plaza before I moved to Arkansas, but nothing since, so it’s… been a while.
And it’s kind of funny that the first time I go to the gym is in Alaska. 🙃
It worked out fine, though, so that was good. I did several different exercises, mostly focusing on my back and abs with the hopes that those efforts would yield beneficial results for my spine.
🤞
I texted Chase to let him know I was in town, and I was going to invite him to breakfast, but he called my right back and said they were already on their way to breakfast and invited me to join them, so I finished quickly at the gym, and headed over to join him and his fiancé and some of his other family members and guests at a local Cafe.
Great to see Chase again. He’s a good man. A good friend.
And it was great to meet his fiancée. She seems like a good woman. 🥳
It’s kind of weird to think about… out of all of the groups of friends I’ve ever had, I think just I and my friend Matt who lives in Cambodia are the only guys who never got married.
Weird.
Of course, I don’t keep in contact with all the people from my friend groups, so I might be wrong.
It was good to meet the other folks, too. Chase’s mom was there, and so was his brother, sister in law and another friend as well, I think.
Gratefully, I was able to get out of the snowy parking lot without getting stuck. The only available parking spot was with the car pointed downhill with the parking lot. That was just hard-packed snow.
From there at breakfast, I headed over to Walmart and bought a bunch of clothes. I had plenty with me, but I figured that the warm clothes I could buy in Alaska would be better in the cold than the crap Walmart sells in Arkansas, especially now that it’s January, and the cold clothes are pretty much gone from the stores at this point.
It took me a good long while to buy the clothes because I hated all the fashions. I hate skinny-legged pants, and waistbands look like old style pajamas.
But I eventually gave up and just bought the stuff.
From there, I headed over to Chase’s house that he actually rents with his brother from their friend. So there are basically three couples that live there, which is good because it’s pretty expensive to live in Alaska. I think. Think just their energy bills, at least for the winter months, are something like $1,000 a month.
😶
No thanks! 😬
I stayed and chatted, getting to know chase ‘s family and friends. I’m super shy and nervous, crazy nervous, needing new people, joe. Joe, I was super uncomfortable, but he’s got great family and friends, which makes it a bit easier.
Ray made burgers for dinner, and I stayed and ate dinner and hung out with them till A was ready to go for the night.
After I left, I thought about going north to try and see the Northern lights, a different spot that was recommended to me by Chase’s brother, I think. Was tired and ready to be alone in my hotel, so I headed back to Walmart, bought some comfort food , went back to the hotel, and watched Castle until it was time to close my eyes and crash for the night, dashing the leftover ice cream on the outside window sill because it was negative. 15° and would keep it nice and Frozen.
🙃
Lift the world.
~ stephen
Lift the World 