Chicago now sleeps where Pistol-Yero once did; the big thaw seems to have begun

When I was in India, I wrote about how Pistol-Yero would curl up and sleep right by my head each night. Chicago would normally sleep somewhere near my legs. Jimmy would tend to sleep right on top of me, although he would shift around a bit throughout the night.

I have been home for two nights now and everytime I have woken up, I have found my nose practically buried in Chicago's fur. With Pistol-Yero gone, she has moved to the head of the bed - right by my head.

Chicago never liked Pistol much. She would often hiss at him. Pistol seemed to enjoy that. In fact, he would often encourage her to hiss at him. She never figured that out.

Today, I had to put Pistol in Jacob and Lavina's freezer until we can get his grave dug, because we can't count on the weather to keep him frozen anymore.

That hurt.

It seems I must have brought some of that heat from India back to Wasilla with me. It is still fairly cool in the mornings when everything is frozen good and solid, but by late afternoon today the temperature had climbed to 38 F (3C). Snow was melting like crazy.

So it seems breakup is underway. Of course, it is still a little dangerous to say something like that. Next week, Wasilla could go right back into the deep freeze, where it seemed to be the whole time I was gone.

I kind of doubt that it will, but there have been past years when I kind of doubted and it did anyway.

There is no guarantee yet, but there are signs I might be able to make it back to the Arctic Slope soon. I can guarantee you that even though it will definitely be spring there, too, it will none-the-less be still be what most people in most places would call deep freeze.

It will be good to go back. Very good.

I hope it actually happens.

Now, it feels to me like the impact of my jet lag is getting worse, not better. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I can hardly type. It is only 10:30 PM, very early for me, but maybe I will go to bed soon. Then I will probably wake up at 2:30 AM or so.

That's what's been happening.

I think this blog will be a lazy blog for two or three or four more days to come, yet.

I test out my new iPhone 4s camera as I make one last delay on the Loft missionary post: baby and mom, cat, me, four young writer studies

I received advice from two grandmas today, both in response to the fact that I had twice delayed the post I was making to cover what I experienced as I attempted to do a photo essay on Mormon missionaries working in New York City for the David Alan Harvey Workshop.

GrannyJ said this in a comment left on my last post:

"Writing- especially writing that is so close to us- takes as long as it takes. You cannot rush the process. And I love the daily moose, dog and shoveler - while I wait."

Grandma Nancy wrote this to me in an email:

"I too process things through my fingertips -- my mind just works that way. Sometimes it gets incredibly long, and sometimes I simply have to stop because it gets too painful to continue."

I decided that these were words of wisdom that I could take comfort in to justify my delays - especially because I am going to delay one more day. I am almost there, and I could have pushed it and completed it before I went to bed tonight.

But I don't want to push it. So I am going to delay one more day. Instead, I will show you the first test shots that I shot with my new iPhone 4s. The very first image that I took with it was of Lynxton in his mother's arms. I shot it this morning in Anchorage, right after I drove Margie into town so that she could spend the week babysitting.

I am certain that you have figured it out already, but it is the image at the top of this page.  

The second image that I shot with the iPhone 4s is this one immediately above, of the cat Chicago, resting on my chest. The third is the same scene, from the opposite angle. I am also trying to rest, because I have experienced one of those infamous "writer's block" moments and I think maybe I can break it with a short nap. For this images, I used the second iPhone 4s camera - the one that allows you to frame yourself in the monitor. I like the feature, but was surprised to see that it produces a much lower resolution image than does the main camera.

Even though I don't think I ever really fell asleep, I believe the little rest did help, because I was able to produce something right afterwards, but it didn't help enough. So, at 4:00 PM, I left my computer, went outside, damn near froze, then jumped in the car and headed for Metro Cafe to see if a cup might bring me around and help me get more done.

I damn near froze because it was - 17 F (-27 C), I had on only the lightest of jackets and a stiff wind had suddenly come up. I knew the wind had been forecast to pick up, but it was also forecast to bring in warmer air, so I was a bit surprised. Here is study #12 of the young writer, Shoshana.

It was amazing to watch the temperature as I drove toward Metro. It stayed at -17 all through the flat down where we live, but as soon as I started to go uphill, it began to rise, fast: -13, -10, -7, - 4, 0... of course it did it one degree at a time, but when I pulled into Metro it had risen all the way to +3. (-16 C). 

So here is study # 1001 of the young writer, basking in the warmth as she prepares my order.

 

Study of the young writer, Shoshana, #2002: She opens the window.

 

Study of the young writer, Shoshana, #671: one day, she and I will make a book together - you watch and see.

I took my time going home, so I could listen to all the speculation and news coming out of New Hampshire. When I got home, the temperature had climbed all the way to +4, right here at the house. It looks like this latest cold snap has come to an end.

Hopefully, there will be another coming soon.

I like the camera in the iPhone 4s. 

I think it is going to change my life.

I guess it already has.