Friday, May 17, 2013

Fixin' To Agitate The Gravel ONE MORE TIME!

Three weeks is all I have left at my current job and place of residence. Then I'm heading down to Olympia Washington to begin a new job with the Washington State Division of Services for the Blind on June 17. It's another one of those itinerant-style jobs but knowing nothing about the state of Washington, the map my new supervisor sent to me to show my "area" doesn't mean a whole lot to me at the moment--some few counties on the Peninsula. I think my territory is called the South Sound. That might be for Pudget Sound...???  

I did stumble upon this fine piece of paradise in my new territory.

Tumwater Falls
If anyone wants to know how hard it is to move into or out of Alaska, just ask me. Otherwise, I'll keep it to myself for the time being. Well, you know I'm not really keeping it to myself, but I'm not going to burden anyone here with the worn out whine of it at this time.
Howsome-ever...I will say that just getting ready to prepare to get ready to get on the road is another one of those "testing your mettle" kinds of experiences.
I'm quite eager to be there already, though. I was there a couple of weeks ago checking the place out and that was a very happy day. A sunny, happy day, at that. The Pacific Northwest is prettier than I can explain and there's something about living at sea level that helps me be especially happy and content and optimistic and cheerful. Not to mention, some certain lovies from Utah will be joining me VERY SOON!
I had a very uninspiring  deli lunch in a supermarket because it was the best parking place I could find at that hour.  I sat upstairs gazing out over and making up stories about this view.  How's that for something to look at while eating a Safeway Reuben and a bag of chips?




And plus...they grow orange-hued trees there!!  SCORE!

I still have a couple of Alaska entries left to post--Sitka and Juneau in the spring--but it's probably not too early to say "I bid you a fond farewell, dear Land of the Midnight Sun!"
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue -
Alaska's flag. May it mean to you
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby;
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams;
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
Over land and sea a beacon bright.
Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.

4 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Hope it works well for you and you have a good summer.

Penny said...

Thanks Gorges, I'm sure it will and I wish a good summer for you!

Bewildermunster said...

Moving sounds very exciting, I've heard WA is lovely.

baby said...

Penny, you're a born writer and photograher. I caught up with your blog and you're starting in Olympia on my brother's 80th birthday. What an excellent Alaskan adventure you've had and shared with us all, a true treasure trove of experiences and pictures. Your family was to join you in Alaska. Now what? My mother was born in Puyallup and we visited many times where her father and sisters lived in Tacoma and Yelm, and my brother and his wife moved to Bainbridge Island so we visited there as well. What gorgeous country you'll be in. All the best to you.