Cast of Characters

Cast of Characters:
Me, the Boston Pobble: Indiana Jones wanna-be, city girl, carnie-at-heart; Lithus: helicopter pilot, partner in crime, best friend, husband;
Various: mechanics, employers, companies and locals we are lucky enough to meet along the way.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Thank God for CVS

Part of life on the road, especially in the (rotor wing side of the) aviation industry is that nothing is settled until you are actually there, doing the job, and getting paid for it. Even then, it's not a done deal the way most people consider done deals. Things can change very quickly. I remember last summer, we were driving from Salem, OR and my (step)daughter's wedding to Medford, OR and the next gig. It's about a three hour drive. In those three hours, we received four different phone calls, telling us plans had changed. It is absolutely nothing for Lithus to come home and say "We're leaving for (wherever) tomorrow morning." Sometimes, we actually do, too.

The point of this is that we have been being told we would be in Fairbanks for this fire season since before we got to Alaska...only first... First, we went to Galena. Then Lithus went to Manley, by way of Fairbanks. Then he came back here. Then we went to Fairbanks together. Then he went to Bettles. I was going to join him in Bettles but he was already turning around before I could get there. So he came back to Fairbanks. Then we were sent back to Galena. But only for three or four days.

That was two weeks ago. This past weekend, we were informed we would be staying in Galena for the rest of fire season. So much for Fairbanks. 

Here's the thing about Galena: it's a village in the Interior. Not a bad place to be. Not at all. However, not a good place to be if you've only brought enough deodorant, shampoo and shaving cream for three or four days. But guess what? CVS.com delivers. To the Alaskan Interior. At lower-48 prices, even.

I swear, I don't think thought of a new razor has ever made me so happy in my entire life.

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