We are back in communicado with the world!  Our internet was up and running late yesterday (a fluke that it happened so quickly ... it would have taken 10-14 days normally).  Our phone is up as of today:  907-543-0775.  This is our first land-line in years.  We are paying through the nose for 1/2 meg download per second, of which the service frequently cuts out.  I found out today that Bethel has the second-highest cost of living in Alaska -- second to Barrow.  Why?  Because we are essentially the only town in an area the size of Oregon.  The outlying villages come here to shop and do their business, and being the only gig in such a huge geographic area, supply and demand comes into play.

Being in our own place seems to have brought both a comfort and a chaos to our kids.  Living in public over the past month has kept them on edge, and on their toes.  They have stressed and it has been obvious.  Now that there are no witnesses to their daily world, they have let their hair down, figuratively as well.  Also, we are just now figuring out own routine.  All that, and there is very little of their familiar belongings here, as nothing is here that we haven't personally mailed or brought with us on the plane.  We received word from the moving company that our belongings have arrived in Anchorage, and will be sent Bethel-way following a re-palatization, and pending room on the incoming flights.  Perhaps by Friday, likely by Saturday, we will be back in some of our familiar surroundings.  Also, we will be able to find what I pulled off the truck at the last minute, and will need to re-purchase.  We're pretty sure that most of our kitchen-ware is coming, but we also know that some of them will not be making it.  It'll be kind of like Christmas to find out what arrrived.

Speaking of Christmas ... it's nice and white out.  An inch of snow seems to have fallen every other night.  It's nice and warm right now ... high 20's and low 30's.