checking mail

everyone here has a post off ice box.  street addresses are few. the post ofice makes for a good place to meet others.  the post office does fine with the few packages i get.  and they also manage to provide ample fire starter while keeping my bills dry. it's bulletin board is one of the good spots, along with the store. to check on town happenings. everyone comes to the post office eventually.

i'll take my time since there's never  a need to rush and check mail, unless I'm expecting something. a check in the mail will get the most attention. besides i just collect mail while missy engages her nose to catch up on all her local news; like who's in heat, or the prowl. then she leaves her mark for others to catch up on her news.

we're not just checking mail, collect is more accurate. newspaper ads, monthly bills, and newsletters.

along about 2pm i'll fire up my truck for the 5 mile run up the parks hwy to town. people will be moving around by that time. missy gets excited as we leave the parks hwy onto nenana's main street. she's eager and starts whining as we reach the old railroad depot and  turn to go to the post, corner of 2nd and B sts.  most of the time, the disabled space is open.  but some people rush using whatever is handy including these marked spaces without a permit.

it bothers me, and often hinders my mobility, but i make do.

maybe not every day, but the flag marking our post often seems to be in motion. nenana has a habit of catching the wind from the river valley and toghotthele hill just across the river. missy jumps out of the truck heading to her favorite sniffing spots. it takes me some time to climb the stairs. so i let missy go...... get her fill.

reaching the door i call her, "checking mail!"   she comes bounding up ready to go in. and with a bit of luck there will be others there doing the same as us.

both our postal mistress', brenda and Teresa always gives missy and i a big hello.  catching us emptying our cubby hole of paper into my mail bag. takes no longer than it takes a hungry man to eat a meal. and we're done. except for the visit. meeting others always results in a highlight for the day.  seems to always be new faces in town. maybe visitors or newcomers.  really makes no difference. one cannot  spend time passing each other and not saying anything, good old Alaskan hospitality will begin a conversation.

i always start with a handshake and my name. the usual response,  "oh...a demientieff. are you related to mitch, shirley, kathy?" or many others, downriver, down the hwy, or in town. happy to know someone in common.  of course, i know them, and they happen to be my relations.

happens to be one of the largest families in the state.

mail retrieved but we're not going home yet.

an occasional stop at the store for items needed before my next trip to fairbanks.  i'll check their bulletin board.  say hi to ty and marilyn.  our only store was established here in 1916 by long time local family, Coghill.

one can read their story in jack Coghill's book, growing up in alaska.

final stop is just across the street at jester's palace. one of nenana's watering holes, see who's tending bar and who's full of it.  after ordering my usual VO and water.  i'll sit back relax, while missy waits in the truck.  all town dogs, 'cept for the bar owners were kicked out last summer. otherwise she would normally lay at my feet patiently waiting. as she normally does.

greeting everyone and being a gentle talking dog.  those who know missy, ask her the same question, "how's life?"  to which she always replies the same, "ruff". everyone seems to love my pound dog.

catching up on the local news is best in the bar. jaded as it were, all information seems to funnel through the only 2 downtown bars.

not only is it important you see others, but just as important to be seen.  if you don't show up somewhere in town, someone will be checking on you.  see if smoke is coming from your stove pipe. literally and figuratively.  keeping an eye on each other is a popular past time.  one might say the worst the news....the harder we listen.  this i think is typical of all small communities.  we have our own city politics, school issues, reluctant vehicles, and in nenana oil & wood, weather and ice breakup debates. without exception, everyone eventually agrees on how different things are these days, but that's about it.

.

done with town errands it's home again to fix our dinner taken out to thaw before leaving.

if there's lots of work at home i will go straight to the post then directly home.  winter daylight doesn't allow for much lollygaging.  but i evjoy my rounds through town.  it's my connection with who i am and how i belong.  but it's oh so good to get home again, where it's easy to walk and we're safe.

dinner and we wrap up our day.  homesteading work tomorrow...rest.