Life 125 Miles South of the Artic Circle: Getting Settled

Fairbanks is a community of approximately 30,000 people. 80,000 if you include the entire North Star Borough. I'm grateful that God didn't call us to a big city as I'm feeling comfortable finding my way around here, just fine! Yep...I've gotten turned around, already.

We've met a couple of our neighbors. Greg lives to the right of us (different bldg). He & his wife, and their 6 yr old son, are leaving tomorrow morning. She's a travel RN. They have been coming to Fbks for the past 3 summers and are now heading back to southern CA...via Austin.

Marcia, who lives two apartments to the left of us, just relocated from Nome. She's a medical technologist. She's been in Nome for 14 years and has a home she's trying to sell there. Luckily, she works days and I've conveniently been able to pick up her wireless signal for our laptop.

I've shared with some the fact that the apartment is just as small as the city. I'm not so sure I'm grateful about that. Although, for free--we won't complain! Ray and I are making do in the space as we make our way around the kitchen as well as sharing a bathroom--something we haven't had to do in the 18 years our marriage.

Here are a few photos to show you around our humble abode.

Front door

Artic Entry

It's keeping Ray's 8 month supply of Big Red nice and cold.!

I'm not sure what this space is called...but it's come in really handy!

I think in most homes it's known as the foyer. You just hang what you need to grab on your way out--including Wendell's elusive leash.

The cozy kitchen in it's entirety! It is furnished nicely with a microwave, coffee maker, toaster, pots/pans and dishes. What it doesn't have is a dishwasher!! Thank God I have YEARS of experience.

Here's the living room. Considerately decorated in Cowboy colors! There's Nic in the corner working on getting our desktop computer hooked up to our own wireless router. The floor heater is all along the front of the living and dining rooms, thus eliminating one whole wall to work with. Same goes for both bedrooms.