My self-expectations are high. I expect, every day, to come up with something revelatory when I write a dispatch. Not just revelatory to me, but revelatory to my very large readership. Sometimes I revel, but most times I do not. It’s like fishing in murky water with no bait. I’m one for not using live bait because I figure that it’s bad karma to kill worms. Ask any worm and they will agree with you.

It was a good day weather-wise, so it was a good day energy-wise. Everyone is in a good mood because it’s now sunny and the temperatures are in the mid-50s.

Picture from today

We are house-sitting a neighbor’s dog, one that looks like a lab but has fruit bat ears. Zelly fits right in, but of course Ryder has asked me several times to, “get rid of it.” And I have told her several times that it is going home tomorrow evening. Shadow, being an Aussie, is more attached to us than dogs of other breeds. She’ll play with other dogs and run with other dogs, but she most enjoys being in our company.

Pete’s truck is in the shop. It is of the age in which parts are wearing out and need to be replaced. Parting company with it is now out of the question because new truck prices are highly inflated. So Pete and I went to town with the intention of picking up his truck and me driving my car home. My intent in proposing this to him was twofold. This way, he would not have to bicycle to town. And he would then see that something is seriously amiss with my vehicle. It lurches and farts and spews exhaust. Pete, after we were a few miles out, said that replacing the muffler is an iffy preposition because this vehicle may be on its lips.

We first went to the Mat-Su Health Foundation luncheon for the Rasmuson new CEO hire. I’m getting used to these bigger gatherings, and I also now know some of the people attending. It did seem to me to be another instance in which hob knobbers were hob knobbing with one another. Like the BLBP, they too are scrambling to get funding. I got this sense – and I have gotten it before – some milling about and talking with others are thinking – what’s in talking with this person for me?

I talked to a good number of people about the BLBP – verified, again, yes, we have a good project. It also helps that I have stories to tell about the project (this is the revelatory part of this dispatch) – everyone likes stories. And everyone likes books.

Again, that common refrain – if someone had told me that I would be attending such functions when I began this project, I would have been incredulous.

On the way back to the Meeting House, I got an email from Laine, the woman who works at the Performing Arts Center in Anchorage, asking if the BLBP would be passing out books tomorrow. I had thought that because I hadn’t heard from her that we would not be doing this. Of course, I said yes, so tomorrow I am going to pass out books at the Ugly Duckling. And I have the books ready to go.

And lastly, I spent two hours this evening cleaning the horse pen.

Poop falls where it may.

Next: 111. 4/22/23: A Conversation with Tyra