I'm getting paid for this?

June 18, 2009

It's about 8:30 am here. My day started at 5:15 when I went to the office to turn on lights and talk to a few guests. Since then, I've been sitting here thinking how surreal this whole thing is, and how blessed I am to get to do something like move to Alaska for a summer job!
I feel like I'm 12 and on a wild summer vacation and don't have a care in the world. My meals are prepared for me, my dishes are washed for me. I only worry about laundry once every week and a half, and with no cell phone, car, errands, bills arriving in the mail, or "to do" lists, I can't remember being this carefree and relaxed in a long time! I can't believe I'm getting paid for this!

To give you some idea, here's a typical day for me:
Wake up at 4:45. Pop my head into the kitchen to say good morning to Scottie (the head lunch chef) and Jill (my roommate and lodge baker). Say hello to my fellow Minnesotan, Joel, on my way to the office, as he is busy lighting the fireplaces. Head to the office by 5:15. (Check my email, facebook and blog) At 6:00 breakfast is served. I have yet to witness a day that eggs, bacon and orange juice hasn't been served. Today was Blueberry pancakes! Back to work at 6:15 on guest files and charges.
I try to keep Kevin (my boss and lodge manager) in line while he pokes fun of my "minnesotan" accent and that fact that I talk a lot.
At 11:15 I head to the dock to take pictures of the guests and thier fish. Then I print and post the photos on the board in the lobby. At 12:00 lunch is served. We had alfredo lasagna the other day - YUM! Then it's back to work until 1:30. After that I can do whatever I want. Fish, hike, scrapbook, watch TV, read, take a nap! It's amazing!! Then, at 5:00, if I'm at the lodge, I go back down to the dock to take pictures of guests and thier fish again. At 6, we get supper (we eat a lot of fish and have had crab legs, crab cakes, halibut melts, fresh clam chowder, salmon, etc... )After dinner we hang out in the crew room, chating, watching TV, or playing board games. Then at 9/9:30 it's off to bed.

Phew - it's pretty rough out here.
Love from AK~ Sharon