The Last Frontier

I have been up North the last few days. North as in Eagle River, Alaska, visiting my sister and niblings. Has been mostly a pretty good trip. Saturday and Sunday stayed with my b-in-law and met his new gf. GF looks like a cross between Good Girl and Biker Chick. Very pretty light auburn hair with a Bonnie Raitt-esque clot of grey right in front on the part. I think he is drinking too much--he says he did for awhile, right after he moved back to ER. He says he realized it was getting out of hand, so quit (or lessened the amount). I think he's on the upswing again. Just hope he is not doing it while he has the kids.

Not only does B-in-law have new gf, so does Sis. (And I can't get anybody!) Both gfs are nice and seem good around niblings (and the niblings seem to like them both). I, on the other hand, for reasons beyond my ken, am having trouble wrapping my brain around this whole situation (and I always thought I was a pretty-laid back, easy-going kind of guy!). I like both gfs, at least on the surface, still a little uncomfortable around them, though. Maybe with the passage of time...

Doesn't help, I suppose, that while I was here, Sis and B-in-law finalized the dissolution. Fortunately, I was watching niblings play in the park while that happened...and nibs were on their best playground behavior! Thank God for small favors.

But I make it all darker than it is. Everyone mostly getting along and also have seen friends Terecita & el Hombre and their kids. Terecita and her sister Randi and I hiked out in Eagle River Nature Center last night and stayed over night in the yurt. Had lots of great discussion and pretty good "camping food". No bears nor moose...but plenty of mosquitos (fortunately, I doused myself w/ bug spray before the hike--worked like a charm). Yurt was like a large round wooden hut, with a deck and bunk beds. Was a good time. Would like to come back some day with a friend or two. Glad I was with Terecita and Randi; both are quite wilderness/camping experienced. Me, not so much.

Will try to hit UAA bookstore for "Airport Taxi" presents for M and Jas tomorrow. Sis and I may hit Myrna's tomorrow night if she can find a baby-sitter for nibs.