Summer's over

Time really flies. I can't remember what I was talking about in April in my last posting so I'll just start fresh.
We had a really busy summer this year. First Mary's sister Pike (pronounced Pee-Kay) and her 2 adult children, 2 grand children and daughter inlaw came for a 3 week visit from Finland around the 4th of July. We spent a lot of time getting ready for them and it was all over way to fast. Their visit started out cool and drizzly to the point that we had to turn the furnace back on for them. Weather improved for the last 2 weeks so it actually ended up being a very nice trip. Mary and Pike didn't get to spend as much sister time as they wanted since they had to take care of the grand kids most of the time. I expect Pike will be coming back on her own so the 2 of them can spend more time together doing old lady stuff.
At the same time we were getting ready for our guests Mary and I were helping get Willow's first Farmer's Market organized. Actually I only prepared the web site, http://marketday.willowhealth.net, and then helped with the setup and tare down of the shelters. I also helped with the Info booth since I am a member of Willow Health Org. The market has been a huge success and looks like it will be held again next year although I think they are going to have to find a new manager because Dean really doesn't want to do it again.
I haven't done much around the place this year. After last summer's house painting and deck building I only cleaned up a few of the things I hadn't quite finished last year like putting a railing on the deck. We had an energy audit and got qualified for assistance in upgrading some of our stuff like getting a new furnace and replacing some of our windows. I haven't gotten much done though except researching a replacement for our wood stove.
Earlier this spring I had lunch with a couple guys I worked with at the FSDPS. Earl Shenneman came up for a cruise with his wife so he and Ross Flavel and I had lunch and got caught up on what has been happening since we retired. Ed Wilson was supposed to join us but he got called away on something to do with the new automation system for Alaska FSS. The plan has completely changed since I retired. Instead of the Alaska Region developing it's own system it looks like they will contract with someone who already has one developed. Makes sense to me. Why spend money re-inventing something someone else has already done? I had had coffee with Ed in May and he had told me a little about the new system.
So I am hoping to update this a little more often, but don't hold your breath. I really have to give credit to those real bloggers that post every day. It takes a lot of work to update something that often.