On Thursday Anaktuvuk Pass was the coldest spot in Alaska and I can't help but assume that means we were the coldest spot in the nation. It got down to around 11 F, with a windchill around -2. I walked 5 miles to the dump and back on that night. I wore a face mask so I would not get frostbite on my cheeks and nose. By the time I got to the dump face mask was frozen from the condensation of my breath. Even Zoey has a frosty ring around her head. 
It is the first weekend in October and there is already enough snow to ski on. We had a storm on Friday that prevented the volleyball team from flying in. So the teachers got to eat the spaghetti dinner that was prepared for the opposing team! Good stuff.
Saturday the sun was shinning bright and there was no wind. What a gorgeous day. I wish everyday could be like this! What a perfect day to go skiing. The Fire department has a number of personal locator beacons to lend out for for people who are going out skiing camping. So we walked over and they lent me this $700 piece of equipment indefinitely.
I got all my ski gear out for the first time. My skis still had duct tape on them from shipping. I pulled out the ski journ kit I bought in Fairbanks. There is a wide waist band almost like a back brace that has a quick release clip that attaches to a shock cord that attaches to Zoey's lead. Ashely (My co-worker) watched and laughed at me as I got all my things together and got ready to ski, snakcs, warm layer, dry layer, beacon, GPS, Camera, dog poop bags, I guess I do not need the mosquito head net anymore. The net comes out of my bag. Keys, oh yeah I guess I do need those. 
After a good ski I saw the Pricipal Brian and his family coming back from a snowy hike, so I went over to say hi and offer for Karin, his wife to use my skis. I get invited in for tea and carrot cake and play a game of Mancala with their daughter Bessy. Dylan, thier son, complains about math, I do not blame him. After a nice Visit I head back over to my appartment to change before dinner with Ashely. We make dinner for each other, it is tough and boring cooking for one all the time! We had chicken, salad and pasta salad. I brought over a bottle of Annie's goddess dressing... the best.
Dee one of the teacher's girlfriend hosts a sewing circle, aka sitch and bitch, but she does not call it that. I repaired a pair of Ashley's jeans that were ripped and started working on my Atichlook, a native style pull over. Nolita, Dee's cousin who works at the health clinic brings over the parka she has made for a little girl. It is so cute and has such nice detail work. Maybe she will show me how it is done.
11 pm time to get ready for bed. I read a chapter in Ingsteds book and turn out the light. The phone Rings... Karin is calling me to tell me the Northern lights are out. We had gone out a few nights ago looking for them.. but no luck. I knock on Ashley's door and get her out of bed. Then we go in search of the school truck. I got my lisence in the mail so I can drive again!!! We find the truck over by the other teacher apartments, we load zoey up in the back seat and start the truck. Colby, one of the teachers who must have used the truck last opens the door to see what is happening... I bet he thought someone was stealing the truck. I wonder if he called the cop or was going to get his gun. I think it is legal to shoot someone who is stealing your truck in this state. We drive away before he comes back to the door and drive out to the dump, 2.5 miles away. The lights from the airport can still reach the moutains out here, but it is much darker than in town where there are so many street lights. There is a faint greenish glow silouetting the mountains. We try to take pictures with out any luck. I will need to get a tripod set up for this type of photo. We get back in the truck and just watch the sky, the glow shifts and radiates upward as it fades into the sky. It did not really pulse like other displays of the northernlights I have seen. We returned the truck to Colby's apartment and walked home ready for bed.
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