I’m off to a warm beach. With my daughter and two grandchildren. (Someone has to babysit.) I will be back in about ten days with a full report and pictures.In the meantime, there is a lot to keep you glowing here in Haines. Well, sort of. “Frozen in Time” is the unfortunate title of the Arts Council film being shown Thursday at 7pm in the Chilkat Center. But don’t be put off, it’s supposed to be great, and is about the Klondike Gold Rush days in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. Friday there’s a brown bag lunch at the museum at noon, on the juried Alaska Positive exhibit now showing, and how photographs are chosen for it, and at 7pm Kelleen is leading a heart painting workshop — she is so positive and inspiring that I’m sure she could even turn me into a painter. This weekend there will also be about 200 kids here for a middle school Triple Threat basketball tournament, and at 6:30 on Saturday SAIL is hosting their heart fundraiser Valentine event at the Fairgrounds. Valentine’s Day is Weds., and if you wear pink, red, or anything with a heart on it to the pool you may swim for only a dollar. It is not a tropical beach, but the lifeguards are doing the best they can to make it feel that way with island themed decor– palm trees and paper flowers.
Here’s a confession: I am not a great traveler. Honestly, I know it’s bad form to be so lucky to be able to go to a sunny, hot,beach right now and not be grateful, but I could stay home and be just fine. Haines suits my clothes. And my skin is so pale. I may get skin cancer. My toes look best in wool socks. What if I miss the connection in Seattle? It’s so tight.
Yesterday afternoon I was pretending to pack– and fretting my bag was too full– putting summer togs in and then taking them out again- How many t-shirts will I actually wear? Flip-flops and real sandals or just one pair? Where are my sunglasses? I looked at the snow falling and worried about the safety of air travel. It’s so far to go for only a week. What’s my carbon footprint?
Maybe I should skip it.
But I really want to see the kids, and swim.
Then I received a note on my phone. I had been waiting for news from a friend with brain cancer who is in Seattle on a much less fun trip, for a check-up to see if all the chemo and radiation has helped– or not– I was afraid to look.
“Good news today!” she wrote. The cancer is shrinking, she doesn’t need more treatments.”I’m so happy today,” she said. So happy today. So very, very, happy. Today!
Well.
That put everything in its proper place.
I don’t have a brain tumor. I don’t even have a heart murmur. I am going to Hawaii. With grandchildren. Which is a great reason to take a deep breath, remove three more items from my bag, zip it up, and head to the airport with a full heart (and a lighter load), don’t you think?
