Thursday, August 30, 2007

New Assignement!

Well, I've interviewed and got the job in Anchorage!
St Elias is a Long Term Acute Care Hospital and is fairly new, they took in their first patent back in December. When my recruiter told me about it, it sounded like a nursing home to me and I was very leary of even interviewing for a position. I'd asked around and did some research on the web and it did not sound like a nursing home. I've heard nothing but good about it.
The people I interview with gave me the example of a patient that is having difficulties being weened from a ventilator. The patient is sent to St. Elias so that they can be weened off instead of being terminally extubated (MD expects pt to die from respiratory arrest because they no longer are assisted by a machine).
I'm excited about being in Anchorage, the "BIG" city...will be able to go to the Olive Garden when it opens!!!! WOOT!!!!
So, my next assignment will start on the 1st of October, I'm planning on being home for a hair over a week before heading back this way.

Closing on hold


Between the subcontractors & the electric company, there is no way that the house will be ready in 2 weeks.
The sheetrockers told the contractor, "Oh, sorry, we forgot" last week and were supposed to start on Tuesday, well, I was there Tuesday and there was no sign of sheetrock much less the guys to get it up. So, everything inside is at a stand still until the walls are up and painted. With the insulation, sheetrock & painting, I'm thinking that they have close to a week on the walls alone....depending on how many guys there are that is. Oh, and they are the ones that are going to be putting in the cabinets too
The electric company has yet to show up to hook up the electricity. The contractor told me that he had a friend that put in for a hook up back in May, and it finally got hooked up last week! If that holds true, the power company won't get off their duff until November to get mine hooked up. Grrrr....
The subcontractor for the septic system wasn't able to make it out due to his machinery was broken and he was waiting on a part. Really no biggie here cuz it can be done while everything else is being completed.
So, if the power company hooks things up in a timely manner:

Contractor: 3weeks left
RealEstate agent: 3 weeks left
Me (my gut feeling):4-5 weeks

Will be interesting to see who is right!

Who knows when if the power company decides not to do anything....if I had about 5 grand extra, I'd set up an all solar house and tell the power company to go do something with themselves.

Friday, August 24, 2007

It was a beautiful day for a drive

Today, Laura and I took a trip up the Dalton Highway to the Yukon River. It was a beautiful day for a car ride to the middle of nowhere, and it was fun to see the very beginnings of the fall colors creeping into the landscape.
The trip took a little longer than expected due to construction. We originally wanted to make it up to the Arctic Circle but because of the construction delays, we missed our mark by a mere 60 miles...I'm seriously thinking of renting a larger vehicle and driving back up later next week
But we had fun any way.
We stopped for lunch at the Yukon River before turning around. There we had a raven join us for lunch, and I did get some pretty good photos of him.
I was a little amazed as to the size of the Yukon, it kinda reminded me of the Mississippi at St. Louis, wide and muddy.










Both Laura & I were amazed as to the surface of the bridge....WOOD!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Decisions, decisions

Well, I've been submitted for a job in Anchorage and one in Valdez.
I'd like the job in Valdez for the shear beauty of the area, not to mention the abundant wildlife AND awesome fishing!!!
I'd like the job in Anchorage (an acute long term care facility) for it sounds like a step up in skill level for me, better pay than Valdez, but I'm afraid that maybe the job may peg hole me as a nursing home nurse...and I've worked with some nurses that have just come from a nursing home and my only comment is: Scary, very scary. Not to mention that I know a couple people in Anchorage....and that my new house (that is supposed to be completed prior to 9/15....geeze, 3 weeks away!!! Still feeling paranoid about the whole thing...gotta have those keys in my hand before I feel that it's really mine) is a little more than an hours drive away.
I'm torn!
I really won't be able to make a complete decision until I interview with the facilities, I hope one of them will make the decision really easy for me, but then again......
Well, I guess I've got some time on my hands tomorrow, for Laura (my long lost twin sister) and I are going to be driving up the Elliot Highway in hopes of making it to the Arctic Circle before we have to turn around. I will be posting pictures!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Trip to Nome


Finally have recovered from hitting the ground running on my return from visiting my friend, Sarah, in Nome.
I was supposed to leave Monday night, ended up missing my flight....by 5 minutes. Well, I should clarify that, the flipping line was so friggin' long that by the time I'd gotten up to the counter it was 5 minutes past check in time, next time I'm on a short trip, I'm making sure I don't have baggage to check! Ended up getting the first flight out of Fairbanks the next A.M
It was an enjoyable trip, every night we went to the beach and looked for beach glass (found quite a bit!), and didn't have any luck salmon fishing at all :(
One day we took a trip out to Salmon Lake and Pilgrim Hot Springs with some of Sarah's friends. We did a little berry picking at Salmon Lake(they were REALLY good, YUM!). We came across a herd of musk ox on the way to the springs and took a bunch of pictures of them. At the hot springs, I stuck my feet in the hot tub for the water was way too hot for me!
I left Thursday night (the last flight out of Nome), spending the night in the Anchorage airport to catch the first flight out to Fairbanks. I arrived back in Fairbanks around 8:30 or so...by the time I'd picked up Paco, got his cage back together and both of us fed (they didn't serve any snacks, and the only beverages were water, coffee and OJ-heartburn city!) it was almost 11 and I had yet to unpack my suitcase! I did open it up to to take out the stinky starfish that we had found the first night we went out beach scavenging and make sure nothing else that I had bought had been broke in transit. Assured that everything made it in one piece, I managed to get to get about 6 hours of decent sleep before going into work....it was a tough night due to the lack of sufficient sleep.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

A new home :)


Well, I'm officially on my way to becoming an Alaska resident, you have to be here a year to be a true resident and that will be November 18th for me. I put in a bid for a house in Willow Alaska and they accepted! We are supposed to close on or before Sept. 15th. I'm still having problems believing that it's mine....not changing/giving out my address until it is officially mine (keys in hand...being the typical paranoid me).
It's a log home, 2 bedroom with ~860 sq.ft. The house is in the process of being completed so I've been able to influence some decisions about things like: bathtub/shower or just a shower, gas range vs electric, etc. Right now, if anyone comes for a visit, you will need to bring your air mattress and sleeping bag!
The next time I'm down that direction, I will take pictures to post (this one the realestate agent set to me!)