I’m on my way to Tenakee Springs, a tiny village on an island south of here, to see my friends Teresa and Larry, and meet with the Tenakee Springs book club. I have also packed flip-flops for the bath. That’s the public bath house with a natural hot springs pool where, as I hear it, everyone bathes– there are women’s hours, men’s hours, family hours– and I bet some after hours…Anyway, Teresa said to bring flip flops, because that’s all you wear. When I told my Haines swimming pool friends I was going to Tenakee, Carol, who is a great-grandmother, and lifelong southeast Alaskan and who grew up in Nazarene household, said the first time she saw a naked woman was in the Tenakee baths when she was 15 years-old. It was not lost on us that she said this to me while I was wearing nothing but a towel and it was wrapped around my wet head. The ferry takes me there tomorrow morning (I leave here this afternoon for Juneau) and it doesn’t come back until Wednesday night. So you won’t hear from me for a bit.
But you probably will see me more once I return, as I will begin campaigning. I have filed to run for Haines Borough Assembly. I know you make think campaigning is a little silly in Haines, and my life is an open book– literally– but I don’t want anyone to think I expect to win, or that I won’t care if I don’t. I do really want to serve on the assembly and didn’t make this decision lightly. I have been on the Planning Commission three years (my term is up this fall) and have been practicing how to make thoughtful, fair decisions based on laws, codes, plans, and a sense of community values, which I think is my strength. I know it will be a lot of time, and I’m prepared to manage mine better. (It’s always a challenge especially with grandchildren around.) Still, as my old friend Mimi Gregg, who died a while back now, and who roped me into chairing theater festivals, directing plays, serving on Lynn Canal Community Players and Arts Council boards back when I had a pack of my own of young children always said: “If you want to get something done, ask a busy woman.” Maybe that should be my slogan?
