It's been a while!

Hello everyone!
I am ashamed that it has been so long since I have written. Certainly not intentional and though maybe no one else cares, I've missed writing so I'm glad to be back! I do not have a whole lot to report, because really things have not been all that eventful here. I mean in a way they have, there have been changes and learning curves and busy days, but nothing thrilling to report on. I'm now working at Hope, and I really enjoy it although it has been difficult to learn all of the paperwork and the computer work, and even the time cards-- which sadly still remain the most difficult part of my job. Who would think!? Along with Hope, I'm working as a Fitness Instructor at the Alaska Club for Women. There are a ton of Alaska Clubs all over the city and state, I can use all of them but I'm working at the womens only club. I'm still training, and it's certainly not the most fast paced job but that's ok. I'm hoping to enjoy it. I've slowly been meeting people, one girl I work with at Hope and I have been spending a lot of time together so I am thankful for that! Eric is still working at REI a few days a week and he enjoys it, but the exciting part is that he starts his environmental scientist position at Bristol on Monday! I think he is a little nervous but also very excited, and we're all excited for him of course. His mom Ruth is here visiting, and this is the 3rd week, she'll be leaving on Sunday. It has felt really nice to have her here, both because it's nice to have another woman around and also because it feels good to have a parent like figure and a little piece of home up here. We have been doing some home projects which is great, it makes me very happy but also just increases the ideas in my head that I want to get done! We have planted some flowers in baskets, gotten some new appliences, done some cleaning and painted the deck. We found a gallon of wood stain in the sale section of Lowes and we thought it would be the thin stain that just sucks into the wood but we started painting and nope! It is a solid stain so more like paint--and it just happens to be practically tangerine colored. We thought maybe it would dry darker but it really didn't! So we have a tangerine deck but we're going to work with it for a while and just be the odd ones on the block :) Once we plant some flowers in the yard and get paint inside-- we'll be good to go. We're also working on getting a table and hopefully before too long a tv! Sidetables and lamps for the bedroom are also on the short list, I hate not having one...
Other than that I really do not have much to say sadly! It has been extremely hot for here this week-- about 80 degrees which are record high temperatures. It's amazing how little time it takes to get used to the cooler temps so even when it's 70 I'm sweating! Very odd. I like it cool much better but I'll admit I'm looking forward to the heat so I can wear some summer clothes! It's also weird to hear the weather report on the radio because they say "81 degrees and smoke" There are fires in Fairbanks, and even some places in Anchorage so there is a large haze covering the mountains. I think it is supposed to clear up in the next few days with any luck,I miss the blue clear sky! Wyeth has been working very hard the past few weeks to quickly save up money for a plane ticket, so she will be here in like 2 weeks! I absolutely cannot wait, I am SO excited to have some visitors here, and Wyo is quite excited too. It will be a great time, and then in August Tiff and John come!!! It sucks that I'll be starting school the same day they come, but we'll have lots of time to hang out and they will get the chance to do some things together as well. We're all really excited. Today I came home from work so exhausted I actually fell onto the couch and crashed which is odd for me. I haven't really napped since I've been here, which is pretty usual for me, I'm not much of a napper. But today I fell asleep and the guys took the dogs to the park where Finn decided to run after a mother moose and her little twin babies. The moose don't really like it when he does that and luckily I wasn't there because it freaks me out, they always try to trample him and he takes a while before getting the hint. He is just too friendly! The 4th of July was a fun day for us, I hope you all had a great one as well. We all biked together downtown on the coastal trail which is right near our house and can take you anywhere in the city practically, and we watched the parade and walked around the Saturday market which I love. Then we biked back and later at night David, Eric, Ted and I biked back and met our friend Brian to watch the fireworks. It was an odd experience, they did not start until about 12:40 in the morning, and it still wasn't dark. It was kind of twilight-ish, and so the fireworks were not wildly impressive but still a fun experience of course. I like the night biking better. Ok now really that is all I have to say, but I miss everyone and will write again much sooner! Stay tuned :) And let me know what you're all up to if we haven't talked much! I have a few pictures to add but I will wait until the internet connection is not so slow.
Be happy,
V