The last adventure I wrote about was seeing the Northern Lights.  That was a fantastic evening.  Shortly before that happened,  I was told by a couple married ladies at church that there was a woman they thought I might like to meet.  I agreed, almost considering it a joke, but I had come to the point where I could accept another woman in my life back in November or December.  I met Amy on March 9 at church and we went to lunch at The Long Rifle Lodge (www.longriflelodge.com) afterwards.  Something seemed to click right away and I started sharing about my life and how I had gotten to Alaska.  I shared some general, but painful details, giving her the option to bow out gracefully.  She did not.  We saw each other every weekend for the next couple months.  After about a month, I shared more about my past, again offering her a chance to head for the hills.  We talked it through and moved forward.  I was very excited and encouraged.  During this time I was house sitting for a couple who were on a three week vacation in Arizona, California, and Oregon.  It was great having the place to myself and a place for Amy and I to talk and get to know each other more.  One week I saw a movie that reminded me a lot of myself and my relationship with my ex-wife.  I suggested we watch it together.  It was hard for Amy when I shared my thoughts.  I told her I did this to continue being open with her and to help her understand me, NOT to giver her an opportunity to leave.  I wanted this relationship to continue!  The job situation was the first major obstacle that needed to be overcome and I referred to this as "Step 1".

During the time I was house sitting, I had the opportunity to take some training from the National Forest Service and Alaska Works.  The Forest Service training was about 40 hours over a five day period to get certified as a Wildfire Fighter.  The class was great, I earned my 'Red Card', and I learned a great deal about forest fires and myself.  What I learned about me was, fire fighting is a young man's job and I am no longer a young man, as if I didn't really know that already.  After the training, I inquired about support positions for the young men and women.  The Forest Service requires 4 support people for every fire fighter in the field, from accountants to cooks to drivers.  I enquired about several of these areas for employment.

The other training was through Alaska works and one of the local labor unions.  I got 4 weeks training in basic  plumbing.  I learned a great deal in this class too.  I got some good pictures from classes.  Check them out in the photo pages.

Step 1 was finally completed when I saw an ad for a Sales position at Continental Subaru in Anchorage.  I called about the job on Wednesday, May 14.  I went in for the interview on the 15th.  The Sales Manager quickly realized that I did have a pulse and hired me.  He did not even ask to see my resume.  I started the training that day, Thursday, after lunch.  The only problems were that the training had started on Monday for everyone else in the class AND the job was 100 miles away from where I lived and 200 miles from where Amy lived in Glennallen.  I would have to find a place to live in Anchorage, but none of my contacts in Anchorage were available that night.  I was able to get a bed in one of the male dorm rooms at the Alaska Backpackers Inn (www.alaskabackpackersinn.com) , a hostel, for only $22.  I returned to the dealership for the final day of training, but felt very lost and unprepared.  I had made arrangements to stay Friday night at the studio apartment of the son of a friend from Glacier View.  I had jumped into the training class so quickly, that none of the new employee paperwork had been completed so I could not try my new 'skills' out that first weekend.  To save money, I decided to drive back to Glacier View to move my belongings out of Danny's house and spend the weekend with some other friends.  I got most of my stuff packed up on Saturday.  It was amazing how much stuff I actually had.  Sunday after church Amy and I went over to pick up my belongings.  She seemed troubled during church and when I asked about it, she said she wanted to talk later.

After getting all my stuff loaded up in her pickup we stopped to talk.  She told my she wanted time to think and pray about continuing our relationship.  This upset me greatly.  We returned to the friend's house and unloaded my stuff into an empty bedroom.  I left almost immediately for Anchorage after that.  On my way back, I passed the location of Glacier View's Chickaloon church plant and they were having their Sunday night service.  After several miles, I continued to feel the need to stop in there for the service.  God had providently arranged for them to be having their monthly covered dish dinner.  I had a great meal, was able to talk to several families from Glacier View who attend there regularly, worship, and hear a missionary from SEND, Intl.  It was a good stop and I felt somewhat better as I drove back.  Around 7:00 PM I called Amy.  She had asked that I not call her, but also wanted to call me to let me know she had arrived safely back in Glenallen, which I had asked her to do by about the second week we were seeing each other.  We spoke for about a half hour .  She explained some of the issues she was dealing with and wanted several days to decide.  I assured her I wanted to continue the relationship , but that she had to know for sure also.  I returned to Anchorage with no place to go.  I ended up sleeping in my car in the Wal-Mart parking lot.  The following morning I checked into the hostel again for a shower before reporting to work the first time.

That first day was a learning time.  The first customer I spoke to, I welcomed them to Continental Suzuki.  It was one of our dealerships, but not where I was working.  Thankfully they were already working with someone.  The second customer I welcomed to the right dealership!  They wanted to trade in a 2003 Outback for a new Outback or a Jeep.  I got them to look at a couple models on the sales floor and then out to the lot to look there.  They thanked me and were going on to look somewhere else.  I did manage to get a name and telephone number, but was so brain locked I couldn't even think how to call for help from a more experienced salesman.  The third customer was already working with someone else, but he was not working that day.  They wanted to test drive an Outback and several other makes that day.  We took the car out, and I immediately introduced them to the Sales Manager when we got back.  I was pleased with my growth that day.  Tuesday was a very slow day and I got off at 4:00 PM.  I spoke to Amy after work about a possible lead for a place to stay.  That lead had not worked out.  I still had nowhere to go and things were really looking bleak.  I started to escape the pain at that point.  Around 8:30 Amy called again.  I called back after 9:00 and she dropped the bomb, she did not want to continue the relationship after thinking and praying about the issues that concerned her.  This was not what I wanted to hear and not good.  I had Wednesday and Thursday off and went into escape mode big time.  Around 9:00 PM Wednesday, I called Amy again asking for clarification of the reasons she had given.  My words did not change her mind.  It was too late for a call to my friends in Anchorage ,so I drove back to Wal-Mart for another night.  As I was waiting for 'my spot' to become free, in a side lot behind some bushes so the Security patrol could not easily see a homeless person living in their parking lot, I had the thought that I didn't need to stay in Alaska.  I'm not saying that God had spoken to me, I wish I could, but it seemed as if a door opened and then light was shining through and a heavy weight was lifted off my back when I understood what this meant.  It was obvious to me that I needed to return to New England and spend some time, don't know how long, taking care of Mom.  Her Parkinson's had been progressing and driving was getting difficult for her.  I made up my mind that night and drove back to Glacier View on Thursday.

I spent Thursday saying goodbye to several people who were home during the day.  The rest of the time I spent re-packing the car, deciding which things just could not go, would not fit, or I didn't need.  It was difficult because each thing had some kind of memory attached; my bunny boots (thanks Arnie), a Christmas birdhouse (thanks Wayne, enjoy Cohen birds), a case of windshield washer fluid I got for $1.00 a gallon (WOW!), etc., etc., etc. (spoken with a King of Siam accent).   I slept as well as possible Thursday night, in a real home, and then hit the road Friday morning, after two more goodbyes.  In Glennallen I met Amy and traded some possessions we each had and then said our final goodbyes.  That was really hard.  I traveled on to Tok where I filled up with the cheapest fuel for over 1,000 miles, made my last phone calls in the US, and had a sandwich for dinner.

Crossing the border into Canada went smoothly, just another Yank beaten by the Arctic.  I don't remember much about the drive.  I do remember the great lake I traveled around in October, the construction zone was inactive, possibly not restarted for Summer.  Somewhere along the way I slept a  few hours in my car and continued on.  I passed through Whitehorse and got to Watson Lake, home of the Signpost Forest that fascinated me so much that early morning in October.  I barely looked at it as I filled up with gas and checked out a knocking sound coming from the engine.  I checked the oil, it was about a quart low, so I added some and hoped it would be OK.  I continued driving for about 80 miles, until I was in the middle of nowhere, when I finally accepted that the rattle was now so loud that I was actually damaging the engine and pulled off into a turn-off.  Everything looked fine from the outside of the engine, but something was drastically wrong.  I checked my phone, but of course there was 'No Service'.  After letting several cars go by, I decided even with prayer the Cadi was not going to be miraculously healed.  The next vehicle to pass by was a pickup with a camped in the back.  The gentleman was a retired American seeing the US and Canada.  I have lost his name, but he was good company and drove me back to Watson Lake.  Thank you Sir!  In the Milepost magazine Watson Lake Motors advertised (Damage) Free Towing.  In my agitated state I failed to see the word DAMAGE.  After an hour or two the driver showed up and we made the hour long journey to my car.  He got it up on the back of the big Semi-flatbed and drove back to Watson Lake.  It was at this time I was given the bill for $570 CDN!  There went a good portion of my travel funds.  When the car was back on solid ground the four men who were at the garage asked to see the engine.  When I popped the hood they went, "Huuh?"  Inside I went "Argh!"  I was assured they had a good mechanic who would be in on Monday.  I was in big trouble.

I wandered around the rest of the evening until quite late.  There was some kind of drinking or card gathering in the garage and I had nowhere to go but the front seat of my car, parked in the dirt parking lot of the 5 bay log 'cabin' garage in Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada.  Early the next morning I awoke/undozed and got cleaned up as best I could.  It was a beautiful, clear, warm day. I explored the tiny town and tried to find some help.  I had passed by a Protestant church the night before so I tried there first.  A man came out of the church but told me they didn't have a Pastor and there was nothing he could do.  He suggested I try the Catholic church on the main highway.  I walked back down the street to St. Ann's Missionary Catholic Church, on the Alaska Highway.  I saw some people leaving, so I want in to find Father John.  After he had finished talking, I want over to him and told him my plight and asked if he could help with a place to stay.  He asked me to come back after 5:00 when he was finished with his Masses.  I thanked him and returned to my car.  I got out my folding chair and went across the street the the Signpost Forest to find a shady place to read my Bible.  After several hours of reading and enjoying the day, I was talking to someone who commented about it being Sunday.  SUNDAY?  I had no idea what day it was, no wonder Father John was busy with Masses!

That evening I went back to the church, apologized, and said I hadn't even realized it was Sunday.  He took me to the Fellowship/Meeting building and showed me some foam mattresses that were stored there.  I assured him I would be fine, explained that I had an Aerobed and Sleeping bag, and thanked him for his gracious hospitality.  After getting settled I found a motel that had wireless Internet service.  Since my phone didn't work, and the calling cards I had would not work in Canada I tried e-mail and Facebook chats.  I finally got in touch with my brother David in Boston (I think) and told him to have Warren in Wyoming get online.  I had planned on traveling to Wyoming to see my brother's family and my son in Denver before I went to New Hampshire.  I told Warren what had happened, and that I had decided to go straight back to New Hampshire so I wouldn't have to deal with getting all my stuff from WY to NH.  We were both disappointed that I was not able to visit but agreed it was simpler to just head East.  I returned to the church, made myself another sandwich, and went to bed.

The next morning I took a shower in Father John's basement bathroom and started to try to figure out what to do with the car.  I had pretty much decided from the 'Where's the carburetor?' response of the Cat mechanics and my lack of funds to try and sell the car.  Father John made some suggestions and some phone calls trying to find someone who would be interested in buying a 'project' car.  I finally called a place I had seen on my walks around town and the guy said he was interested and to bring it over.  I unloaded all my stuff into the Meeting room and limped over the the place.  He told me it was not worth much in the condition it was in and that there was not much demand for Cadillacs in Watson Lake.  I said even $500 CDN would be a help.  He agreed to this.  I signed the title over to him, kept my Alaska licence plates, and was driven back to the church with $500 CDN in my wallet.  I didn't cry, then.

I now had a mountain of stuff to sort through and decide what to take, what to leave.  That's when I started crying, moaning, and raging.  I ended up with 15 suitcases, duffel bags, boxes, plastic totes, and a toolbox full of my most needed and wanted treasures.  Left behind, to end up at a thrift shop, was my framed Speed Racer cartoon cell, my set of dishes I had salvaged from my marriage and 25 years of loving use, 2 jars of HERRING, 2 unopened bottles of AKVAVIT lovingly transported from Ft. Mill, SC for a celebration that never happened, 2 suits, my (actually David's) sleeping bag, the Aerobed, my pillow, the Wildfire Fighter's Training Manual, 2 Arctic parkas I had been given, my ice chest, even the folding chair, and so much more.  Even now I think of something I need and remember I had to leave it in Watson Lake.  It was an agonizing couple hours packing.  I pray that God will break me of my death-grip on things.  It still hurts and I am not there yet.

I did have some time to 'relax' before needing to get to the bus station.  About 5:00 I loaded up my stuff into Father John's pickup and he drove me to the Greyhound station.  As I bought my ticket, I explained my current dilemma to the ticket agent.  This is where God started showing His favor to me in spite of my anger, depression, and loss.  The agent sold me the $200 CDN ticket for $139, the 2 week advance purchase price.  He also told me he did not have the proper paperwork to process my cargo through US Customs and on to NH, so he said he would ship them to Toronto FOR FREE.  I was not completely satisfied with this, but had no other choice.  I had no idea what a blessing this was until later.  I again tried to relax until the bus arrived.  All the cargo was loaded onto a trailer the bus was pulling and I climbed into the passenger cabin for my 5 day bus trip.  Excited I was not.

The first night and day, I didn't talk to anyone.  I looked out the window, slept, and read some.  I had somehow gotten an early Gresham (I think) novel about doctors and a botched abortion, not my first, second, or even third choice in reading material, but all I could fit in my one backpack on the bus.  The first day the bus was so empty everyone had 1-2 seats to himself, so we could actually stretch across the isle and sleep somewhat comfortable.  As we headed East and South, first to Dawson Creek, BC, then Edmonton, AB, then Saskatoon, SK, and Winnipeg, MB, and then Thunder Bay, Sudbury, and Toronto, ON the bus got more and more crowded.  I ended up sitting with a young man (I forgot his name too) from Montreal, PQ who had gone to Whitehorse, YT to find a job for the summer.  His adventure had not worked out too well, he spoke only French when he arrived in Whitehorse, and he was on his way back home and to school.  His English was excellent for just after just a month.  I tried to share my limited resources with him, but he would not accept even half a Subway Meatball sandwich.  I ended up putting a $20 in the book he was reading when he was away from his seat.  Pride is ugly in any language.

In the major cities we stopped at I was able to get online and update my status on Facebook and send a few e-mails.  I arrived in Toronto early Saturday morning (I think) and tried to claim my treasures.  Somewhere around Winnipeg the bus had detached the trailer and I never noticed until I stepped off in Toronto.  I panicked.  I checked at Customer Service but the guy there did not care about the customers or about giving any service.  I had to call Greyhound Canada on the phone to find out where my stuff was.  I was told it was at the Cargo terminal in another part of town.  I took the subway and walked to the Terminal only to find out that the trailer was not there and not scheduled to arrive until 5:00 PM.  My frustration was on the rise again.  I had noticed a library as I walked over so I decided to spend the day there, waiting for the cargo trailer to arrive.  It was before 8:00 AM and the library didn't open until 9:00 so I walked on farther and found a Starbuck's with an outdoor patio.  I picked out a table that was the farthest from the door and watched people illegally park their expensive cars and SUVs so they could get their morning fix.  I breakfasted on Nature Valley Oat 'n Honey Granola Bars and water.  When the library opened I parked myself and passed the time reading comic book novels, updating my Internet info, and just trying not to worry.  At five I went over to the bus station and found out the trailer had arrived, but was not unpacked; come back at six, or seven or 6:30.  Anyway, I came back later and handed my receipt to the agent.  She went into the back, returned, and said they were not there. I started to loose it.  The uncaring agent was replaced with the station manager.  He went back and found that 14 of my 15 parcels had arrived and said the last one would probably arrive in the next trailer.  I thanked him and returned to the library to figure out where to stay.  The library was about 5 minutes from closing when I arrived back.  I asked to use the Internet to try and find a Hostel.  Just as I found one, the Internet shut down for the night.  The librarian was nice enough to use her PC in the back to get the address and phone number and let me call them.  The place was a ways away, but not too far to walk for an emotionally distraught Yankee.  I spent two nights in Toronto at the Hostel.  My last parcel arrived Sunday/Monday, I still don't really know what day it was.  I spent the rest of the day exploring the Hostel neighborhood.  There was a mini-Times Square nearby with big outdoor video screens and expensive shops.  It was fun to walk around, but would have been more fun with someone to share it with.  Enough of that, onward.

At some point in that 18 hours I asked about shipping the stuff to NH.  I was told it would cost about $100/piece to send them to NH.  This shocked me and financial panic again set in.  What was I going to do?  I also realized what a blessing I had received from the agent in Watson Lake when he shipped the stuff to Toronto FOR FREE!!!!  I reserved a car in Buffalo with the idea that I would drive back to Toronto, get my stuff, drive to a friend's in Rochester, NY, unload there, return to Buffalo, get back on the bus to NH, borrow my Mom's car, drive to Rochester, load up my stuff, and drive to my new home in NH.  Simple isn't it?  NOT!  In Toronto, I made an online payment to my least delinquent credit card so I could get the car.  The next day I walked from the Hostel to where I thought the bus station was, but what I remembered was the subway station, not the bus station.  I ended up walking/jogging/running probably an extra mile with my backpack and computer to get to the bus station just as they were loading passengers.  I got right in line and was about the second or third from the end.  I should have checked in at the ticket counter before boarding the bus because there was one to many passengers.  A lady ended up standing just behind my seat.  When I had calmed down enough, I realized I was the reason she was standing.  I was going to give her my seat but whenever she opened her mouth she was complaining, "I was here hours ago, but they canceled the 6:00 bus to New York.  Why isn't there a seat for me.  Blah, Blah, Blah."  I thought 'If she was here 2 hours ago, why wasn't she on the bus first?'  Needless to say I didn't give up my seat, she eventually quieted down and shared a seat with another woman, then got a seat at Niagara Falls.

US Customs had a few questions but let me pass and in Buffalo I had to get a city bus to take me out to the airport.  At the Enterprise desk I presented my reservation and credit card and was rejected.  I didn't have $300 US available on the card.  I called the credit card company, "No, I'm  sorry (NOT!) but you are late and over drawn and it will take 3 days to process your payment."  "Can I get an emergency credit limit increase of $300?" I asked.  "No, I'm  sorry (NOT!) but you are late and over drawn, I can't do that."  I could get ugly with the initials of the credit card company, but (hopefully) this is a family blog.  I tried using my Debit card, but again not enough available.  I tried both the credit card and Debit card.  No, they can't do that.  What about cash?  No.  I was so frustrated I started calling everybody I could think of in OH, NY, PA, WY, WI, NH, and probably others.  No one could help.  Warren finally suggested I leave my stuff in Toronto, take the bus to NH and then drive back to Toronto in Mom's car.  This was almost what I had planned, but God had again allowed EVERYBODY to cross my will to show me who was in charge, and it wasn't ME!  This is what I ended up doing.  I got to spend the night in Rochester and visit with Ron and Lynn, very enjoyable.  USAA FedExed an international insurance card to Ron's house.  The delivery caused me to get a later start than I had planned and I never did need the card.  It was rush hour by the time I got to downtown Toronto and was afraid the bus station would close before I got there.  They were open till at least 8:00.  I loaded up all my things in Mom's Town Car and had room to spare.  (If you ever need to take all your belongings to Alaska in a luxury car, take a Lincoln Town Car.)  I parked the car near the hostel,since I knew the area some, and ate and walked around till rush hour was over.  I had hoped to see Dan in Syracuse, but  It turned out he had a Summer internship at Cornell University.  I did speak to his Dad and was invited to spend the night at their house (it was after 9:00 PM) since Dan's room was empty.  That invitation was such a blessing I decided to take an extra day and go seen Dan at Cornell.  On the way to Ithica I got to see Jon and his family near Rochester and had dinner with Dan.  I drove him back home as a surprise for his Mom and was invited to spend the night again.  Dan and I had a good talk until late in the night.  I slept soundly that night.  The next day I drove to NH, 16 days after leaving Anchorage, AK.