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Do you think I'll need fleece pants in the arctic? Maybe, maybe not. What about fleece mittens and a scarf? Full rain gear? I'm going prepared, and it's probably going to amount to a heavy bagful of stuff I don't end up using. Funny thing, though, that "come prepared and wear layers" adage carries a lot more weight here. I'm glad I'm not backpacking– too volatile an environment and I'm already carrying too much stuff.

Today and yesterday were much better than the previous days. I know it has everything to do with my own attitude. The runner-awayer was absent from school except for a lunchtime conference with the teacher. Apparently he still uses a high chair. (He's 3 1/2.) That explains a lot, really. The teacher had asked myself and the other aide to be ultra-firm, like parents, with him, but it clashes in the Montessori environment. We'll see how things go with him next week. I'm having to learn entirely new strategies for dealing with kids. Funny thing, my 9 and 10 year old strategies don't always work with preschoolers. I really miss elementary, but this job may be growing on me. Or slowly suffocating me, not sure which.

I should be back Monday. If not, call out the Mounties. Wait, that's Canada.

Here's the Friday Five.

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There is a new gravel road leading out of the marina. Even though it's gravel, and barely graded, it's still better than the main road out. Not that I don't enjoy a good game of pothole slalom, I do. But in the evening when the shadows are long and the sun is slanting just into my left eye I end up hitting more potholes than I miss. So, I've been taking the new road. It is just a flat bed of gravel, about 4 feet high, with troughs of standing water along its sides (and loads of fog in the morning- fun!) It even has a name now, and its very own stop sign. I no longer feel like I'm trespassing when I drive on it.

This morning I saw my neighbors' car stuck half on the road and half off. Maybe they swerved to miss another car or a moose or something. Or maybe they just weren't paying attention. Either way it says a lot about Alaska that that's the good road.

I found some patience reserves today for dealing with the runner-awayer, the puncher-of-other-kids-and-adults, and the spiller-of-anything-without-a-lid. Maybe it was because today was picture day, and the kids just looked so darn cute in their nice clothes. Or maybe it was the 20 oz latte. At any rate, it was a pretty good day. Tomorrow is Friday, and Saturday I'm off to the Arctic.

I promise to stop posting huge pictures here soon, but here's one of the cabin and one of the loft.

The float plane marina near my house was like glass today, so pretty.

Speaking of my house– here's a picture.

It was beautiful out, so I drove down to the Tanana River. I'd never been farther down the road I live on than the turn off to my house, which seemed silly. The road curves down to the river and then climbs along a ridgeline back toward town. It was a nice drive. There was a nice view of the winding river. I could really see the leaves beginning to change. I can see patches of gold on the birch trees outside, but from up above everything was yellow and orange and silver. I should be really spectacular in a couple of weeks.

I also took some pictures of the flowers at the botanical gardens. Pictures of the gardens are at the image journal. I know I haven't updated it since spring. I'll try to do better, I promise.

I got a strange package today. The package slip in my PO Box said "1 tube." Tube? It was a poster tube with 88's all over it (as in 1988), filled with posters from Australia. Some are just bizarre, others, of parrots and rainforests and flowers, are pretty interesting. My uncle just decided to send this stuff to me. I'm not sure why. I guess I'm supposed to use them in the classroom? He also sent some pictures of people I don't know, and a letter full of misspelled and scratched-out words– his ideas about living in Alaska. He has the idea that I have a woodstove. Should I write back about going out to cut the 10 cords of wood I need for the winter? Me and an axe seems like a bad idea, really.

Also, general musings behind a cut, to spare you if you're not interested in my soliloquizing. And really, who is?

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New boots! They're rated to 40 below zero. They weigh a ton. 1 1/2 pounds per boot, I think. I feel like I'm walking on the moon. They fit nicely with the biggest, thickest wool socks I own. No, I don't need them yet. It's been raining all day, so I've been mucking about in a pair of those rubber garden clogs. Laugh if you must, but they're perfect for rainy day outhouse trips. Really, what's not to love about living here?

I had to see if the boots fit with the ski pants, and I'm a big cheeseball, so I had my own cabin fashion show. Winter will mean a whole lot of clothes. I'm going to waddle around in my moon boots and overstuffed down coat for 6 months. Should be fun. It does seem like an excessive amount of outdoor gear, but I'll bet I'll want it for those 20 below recess duty days. I'm supposed to dress myself to go out while I watch and help the kids. Think I can tie my own boots, put on hat and scarf and gloves and coat and help 25 preschoolers do the same, all at once? Guess we'll find out.

I hope the weather clears by next weekend, because I'm going camping north of the Arctic Circle. I'm taking a bus up the Dalton Highway (also called the Haul Road– it parallels the pipeline all the way up to the Arctic Ocean) to Coldfoot. (Here is a really simple map of the route.) I'll get to see the Brooks Range and take my picture at the Arctic Circle. Cross your fingers for good weather. If not, well, I have some serious boots to try out.