Ferry Dock Sinks/Work in Still Listening to Spirit

I went to work Monday at 10am. Heath wanted to have a meeting, get some stuff in the works, etc... So I showed up at 10am. There were 3 men in addition to Heath standing around talking about electric, equipment placement, etc.

Heath wants to get the popcorn business that also occupies the space up and running and maybe the espresso/coffee bar, snacks bar that also occupies the space too. There is a major problem in the space with electricity. There IS enough, it is just not distributed properly and outlets are not where Heath has decided to put equipment this year.

Long story short, after about 45 minutes, I began to sort through boxes, paperwork, pens, pencils, detritus and so on under the 12 foot long counter behind which tour sales will be made. There are 2 shelves and they were packed with stuff as well as the top of the counter stacked high. The usual on the top of the counter is what happens when someone is making room to work somewhere close and needs to move things to work.

I got half done in 3 hours, still waiting for this 'meeting' to take place. Heath was in and out, going to pick up this and that, talk, talk, talk with the construction/electric helpers and dogs-bodies who were there because they have strong backs.

Heath was supposed to drive to Anchorage the next day so I wrote him a list of 2 items I wanted him to pick up there. One was a drafting chair for me--it is a comfy office chair that at its lowest height can be used as a desk chair and telescopes up to counter height with a nice circular all around foot rest near the bottom. The other was I forget what, doesn't matter.

Finally, Heath came over to say he was going to the house one more time to get something from the garage and would be right back and we could meet. I said, nope, pushed my list in front of him and said "I need a chair, it's on this list, exactly what I want and where to get it."

"I am done for the day" I continued. "and really, there is no need to meet yet, you are not yet ready to think about office details when you are involved in getting these two other areas open."

Heath said "Okay. I'm sorry I was so busy."

My reply was "That's okay, you saw a demonstration of how patient I can be, and I did a good deal of work getting some things organized."

Heath said he was glad to hear that and was grateful for my patience.

I said "No problem--you are paying me by the hour and you owe me $30!"

He smacked his forehead, laughed, and agreed I might have got the best of him this time. He also gave me a ride home because his house and garage are only a short block away from mine.

I spent another 3 hours there today. Katie was organizing the coffee bar and inventorying preliminary to ordering and much was being done in the back store room to organize. Electricity will be hooked up temporarily to get the machines running but the electricians are working on getting the Fish Co restaurant down near the docks wired up as part of the reconstruction after it burned down last summer. Permanent alterations to the electric connections will be done after that job is completed.

In other news, Skagway woke up to find our ferry dock had sunk sometime Wednesday night! The northeast corner where there is a lift/hoist is still visible and the drive on ramp is twisted to the west. I have only seen photos so don't know if the two ramps are resting on or off the sunken dock, but it looks like the walk on dock is no longer on the sunken dock.

The 19 to 25 year olds coming up here for the first time on the cheap to work now can't get here by ferry. Plane is expensive, what to do? The 2 air services have pulled in planes and pilots from Kake, Petersburg, Wrangell, Sitka, Ketchikan, Gustavus to fly the hundreds of people stuck in Juneau with more arriving by the ferry full each day.

Heck, I'd be surprised if there are any hotel/motel rooms available as those on the ferry don't get off and need rooms....what a mess.

There is talk that the walk on passengers can walk off at the railroad dock which is good. BUT those who brought a car on the ferry? No choice but to get off at Haines (which is a 20 minute boat ride from here) and drive 335 miles from Haines, through customs into Canada, to Whitehorse, down the Klondike Highway and through US Customs to get here to Our Town.

There's no place like home and I am glad I am already here.

Blessed be!