DAY TWO IN BARROW THURSDAY OCT 11

Nellie picked me up at 10 am.  The first 22 of the 68 boxes I shipped from Washington arrived at the post office.  Without a vehicle here, I’m dependent on the kindness of co-workers to help me with this project.  Nellie was born and raised here in Barrow.  She was an incredibly good spirit about my correcting her when she seemed to be driving in the opposite direction of the post office…just swinging around the block she said with a smile.  Within a half of an hour, we were backing up to the ramp leading to the apartment storage area where I checked the boxes against my spreadsheet with general contents of each box listed.  Nothing edible has arrived yet, but my hopes are high that the rest of my flax seeds, at least, will come in the next several days.  All of my boxes are intact and look as though they traveled first class.  I was warned that this isn’t always the case, so was pleasantly surprised.

I’m trying not to think about the daily tall frothy glass of cantaloupe juice I enjoyed and took for granted pre-Barrow.  I was elated that the frozen orange juice is well within my food budget at the local grocery store…the large can was $5.65.  The not from concentrate 64 oz container of juice I’m used to purchasing for $3.29 in Washington is on sale here for $11.90.  Yesterday I received the senior discount, bringing my five pound bag of carrots down from $14.39 to $12.95.  I mentioned the discount again today, trying my best to appear to be a senior in case there was any doubt, but learned that it is only good on Wednesdays, my new shopping day.  How ironic would it be if I let the beautiful avocado I brought with me spoil because of not wanting it to be gone? 

In the lobby of the grocery store, there are several Inupiat artists selling their crafts, made mostly from baleen and whale bone.  I was attracted to the three pairs of Eskimo sun glasses, made from either moose or whale bone with small slits to keep the bright summer sun reflecting so strongly off of the white ice from damaging their eyes.  While flying bush here in the early 50's, a man made a pair for my father. I  was tempted to buy him a pair, but needed the orange juice more today.  I feel sure he will understand.  Good birthday shopping for him here though.

While at the library yesterday, a small Inupiat toddler with a sweet round face and red cheeks visited me often at my table.  I think she wanted a drink of my water, but after trying to explain to her that I didn’t want to give her my germs, she was content to hang onto my finger before toddling off in a new direction with her father in pursuit.  Today while walking to the library, I could see an Eskimo woman walking slightly bent forward with an infant’s covered head tucked into the hood of her parka.  They made a traditional Eskimo picture in my mind through the blur of falling snow.  Inside, the woman who appeared to be the infant’s grandmother, worked at a computer while her little bundle slept.

The internet service here is intermittent, taking a very long time to do things that would normally take much less.  Things that I took for granted are presenting themselves one by one, or rather their absence or lack are making themselves known, demanding a new and more patient mindset.  I patiently waited for the internet to come back up while doing multiple change of addresses today online losing what I had input over and over.  I don’t seem to be able to attach photographs to anything I send, so may post them on my trips down to Washington throughout the year.  I’m working on focusing on the things I’m grateful for and there are many. 

On Saturday if I am at the library at 1:15 pm, I can catch a ride to the Barrow Arctic Research Station where lecturers will be talking about the denning habits of polar bears.  I’ll be sure to post some of what I learn.

Exciting morning tomorrow, meeting my co-workers at the North Slope Borough Wellness Center, and beginning work here.