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August 8, 2018: Visitors

My old friend Jacki is here with her daughter Eva. They are here for ten days. They live in Buffalo, NY. I had been planning what we might do, have been nervous that they might come all this way and be bitterly disappointed.

It began raining a few days ago. It rained yesterday and today. This alone would put a damper on vacation plans. But Eva’s getting motion sickness on the plane was a double damper. Yesterday we took Eva to the Palmer Urgent Care facility. And today we took her first to the Wasilla Urgent Care Facility and then to Mat-Su Regional Hospital.

Alys and Eva with Balto
Alys and Eva with Balto

Urgent Care is a fairly new health care concept. It is for those who not needing emergency care. It was supposed to cut down emergency room visits. From what Jakki and Eva told me, this hasn’t happened. The emergency room waiting area was empty but the area inside the emergency room was full.

So Eva had to wait for the frazzled doctor at the emergency room to deal with all kinds of things, including a woman with Alzheimer’s Disease and another having a baby. Eva was dehydrated, so she was given fluids via an IV. Then they sent her home.

Tonight, Eva was a lot better – not throwing up and more talkative. So tomorrow will be a low key day around here – we are going to chop up cabbage for sauerkraut, prepare beans and peas for freezing, and pick raspberries. I am also hoping to get the horses out – it has been several days since I have done this, and they are getting restless.

On the way home we stopped at Sun Circle Farm and I introduced Eva to Anne Corrine, the owner – in a few days, Eva, who has a strong interest in Alaska agriculture, will spend the day with Anne Corrinne.

Eva also has a strong interest in horses – she’s now working at a horse farm in Buffalo, NY, which is where she lives. I am eager to show her how we do things here – including manage our manure.

I have been anxious about this visit because Eva came all this ways and I do not want her to leave feeling disappointed. I am now not sure how long it will take her to recover.

And to add to my angst – Pete is going to Portland for his niece’s wedding, leaving tomorrow night. So I will have to tend to things here, the least of which is that I am going to have to take care of the garden. I haven’t a clue as to what to do – and am concerned that I am going to appear ineffectual.

Tonight Jakki and I made a list of the things that we might do – this made me feel a little better.

Ach – it has been a hectic few weeks so my sitting around and hanging out in a waiting room while reading Tschiffely’s Ride was perhaps fortuitous.

We’ll just have to see how it all shakes out tomorrow.

Next: 221. 8/9/18: The Winds of Change the Change of Winds

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