You wonder why, sometimes it’s easier for you to write in the second person. So far, no definitive thoughts on this matter have materialized, so you are just going on blind faith.

Another long day doing book project stuff.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and windless, at least early on.

Pete right now is the real hero. He gave up another day, when he could have been home, in order to give you an indirect assist. He first took you clear across town, so that you could meet up with a ride going north, then went back across town, and with a good friend, salvaged books at the local recycling center. After, he met up with a Bright Lights Book Project board member, and they spent the afternoon at a local crafts fair, passing out books and talking with holiday shoppers about the project.

Not yet fully under water

He then met up with you at 7 p.m. at the Meeting House, and together you consolidated books, making sure all were in the library room, so that tomorrow’s church goers would be spared the illusion of a book barn.

You, on the other hand, went with the board president to Talkeetna, 100 or so miles distant from Palmer, and there participated in a book drop. Area residents were invited to come and bring books to the Denali Education Center, which they did, for five straight hours.

There were six of you working in a small space, salvaging, sorting, categorizing, and packing up books. Yes, you did what you did best, sorting books so that it would be easy to further categorize them once they arrived back in Palmer.

The categorizing part, as always, came easy to you. Dealing with eight others in a small space, all of whom wanted badly to give an assist, was more difficult. Usually, categorizing is a solo task, one that for you is meditative. Add to this, these individuals were all long-time friends, so you were the odd one out.

There were two dogs and a child underfoot. Just different, you thought.

You later wanted to talk more about the project, as stories beget stories, but didn’t, your inner voice said – just keep doing what you do so well.

When, someday, you write about this, you’ll have their undivided attention.

You and the Bright Lights Board President left Talkeetna as the sun was setting. As you drove, the near full moon came out and the wind picked up – this, the outer landscape, was perfect for talking in a very intense manner about the future of the Bright Lights Book Project.

You are aware that right now, the fate of the project rests on your shoulders. You have to be circumspect, tactful, and at the same time forthright in order to keep things going. As it is now, your leadership abilities are being put to the test.

It is again a house of cards, and it feels like the big bad wolf is outside the door, waiting to blow the deck down.

Alys, you can do what needs to be done.

Next: 305. 11/6/22: The beginning of Winter?