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August 1, 2025: Going into Fall

The beginning part of August, it’s summer. The end part of August, it’s fall. The now very dark green leaves on the trees will start to turn, and the fireweed will top out. I will then brace myself for what’s ahead, darkness, cold, the absence of birds, ice and rain. Spring and summer are so magical – fall is just a harbinger for what’s to come.

Today, writing – maintained continuity on the injury chapter. I wrote about having to give up participating in the competitive trail ride. If I had bypassed working on Shelf Life, I might not have thought of this.

I have two more inserts – the first is meeting Lisa Murkowski and the second is getting the book program going at the Palmer Senior Center. The latest with the latter is that they will soon be closing their gift shop.


The entire country is being thrown into economic disparity. Public radio is also being pummeled. The question is, will this country be able to recover from this? We have a hothead in office who is unpredictable. I fear that abandoning democratic principles could result in a nuclear war.

My feelings about all this have something to do with my now reading Joe McGuiness’s The Last Brother, the last brother being Teddy Kennedy. However, this book is about the entire Kennedy family. I think that this book was a very ambitious effort on McGuinness’s part. And, of course, if you bring to light new details about old stories, some of which are controversial, you are not going to be praised for your completed book. McGuiness died a few years back. I heard him talk when he was here – I wish that I’d read this book back then – I’d have questions for him. Once someone dies, they cannot answer questions, which is a pity.

I had a plan, but I changed course today. I was going to go directly to the pool, distribute books, then head to the hotel. I instead went left instead of right on the Glenn Highway and went to the Sutton Library.

The librarians are very nice when they want me to do something, like do a story hour. They are not so nice when I want something, in this case the story walk images – this for train day at the Alaska State Fair. They are going to give them to the Wasilla Library. I asked them to ask the head librarian if I can borrow them. The answer is going to be no.

So instead, I will get the book and make our own copies and get them laminated.

If the powers that be had begun working on the details that center around the fair, I could have gotten a grant for this. But it’s too late now. There is going to be a lot of winging it.

I spent the latter part of the afternoon working in the back room, and both got fair books ready to go and further organized the literacy library. What drives me, of course in such instances is a strong sense of accomplishment.

Next: 207. 8/2/25: How can it be?

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