My first week

Greetings from 3105 National Park Service Rd, B9.  This is the view from my 2nd story deck, overlooking a tidal basin.  The tide comes in twice per day, usually once in the morning and once overnight (or early a.m.).  This picture was taken on Wednesday morning, when the sun came up about 8:30 a.m.  By 11:00 a.m., the water was up to the pilings which hold up the lower and (my) upper deck.  From my patio door, it looks like I am living in the ocean! You are looking at Auke Bay, which is home to the ferry dock.  Two high-speed ferries and two normal-speed ferries sail between Bellingham, Washington to the south and Haines to the north, with stops in-between at smaller towns and over to the major section of the state of Alaska, via Seward and Homer.  Other than air, it is the only way to travel outside of the city of Juneau.  Juneau's main north-south highway stretches for 45 miles along beautiful coastline and with incredible snow-covered mountain views.  I'll take some more pictures (when it stops raining!).  Our apartment is called the Auke-Nu Condo's, with about 20 (10 lower and 10 upper) units and are all separately owned.  We are renting our 1 bed/1 bath with loft condo from the current owner of the unit.  Rents in Juneau are a bit steep (I think) but this location can't be beat.  Plus, I got most of the things I was looking for - dishwasher, washer/dryer in the unit, deck with a view and covered parking.  The loft will make do for the 2nd bedroom for our guests (this means YOU!).  We arrived last Sunday and Bill had to work on Monday.  I woke up to a house with two lawn chairs, one coffee table with three legs (Bill had fixed the fourth one with a really long screw) and the television that we bought from home (which, without cable, pulled in three stations - one a "live shot" of the Juneau flats with classical music playing), and a full-sized mattress set that Bill bought in May when he arrived.  We had done some grocery shopping on Sunday afternoon and picked up hangars, some garbage cans and laundry detergent (did I say how much I appreciate not having to go to a laundromat to wash my clothes?) but not much else.  Monday found me a bit overwhelmed with what we had done - what was I thinking??  I had about 30 boxes to unpack, but I couldn't because I had no place to put anything.  I reorganized all the kitchen cupboards, decided that I should get the top drawer in the bathroom vanity and washed the sheets on the bed.  Then it was 10:00 a.m.  I didn't have the car because Bill's company truck was being used by another person who was filling in while Bill was in the lower 48 for three months and we wouldn't see that truck until Monday night.  I watched "Price is Right", an episode of Bonanza and then played Pandora radio on my computer.  I made a grocery list, organized my scrapbooking stuff (which I brought with me in the car since it was way too heavy to mail) and waited until Bill came home.  I said "let's go shopping" before he had his shoes off.  He couldn't (or wouldn't) say "no" so it was off to one of two larger furniture stores in Juneau.  I had measured the space to make sure the furniture we bought wasn't oversized and with Bill's help, purchased a nice mid-size leather sofa, two swivel/rocker "bucket" chairs, two leather upholstered counter-height bar stools and a queen-sized mattress, headboard and large dresser.  When asked when I wanted it delivered, I said tonight, but the store clerk said Wednesday would be the earliest.  I could live with that.  Then, since it was already almost 7:00 p.m., we decided to stop at a local bar that Bill said served food.  Well, it had changed hands since he was last in Juneau in August and the food menu was still being determined.  After we ordered our beer (Alaskan Brewery now sells in Milwaukee!), some gentleman deliberately rang a large ship's bell at the bar.  Twice.  The dozen or so people on the stools thought this was a great thing - and I did like the sound.  The bartender (Bill liked her - it was Halloween and she was dressed... barely) asked what we wanted "on the bell".  My eyebrows must have formed a question mark, because she said that, when someone rings the bell, they are buying a round for the "house".  So, now two beers and still no supper.  Luckily, we were near the campus of U of Alaska-Southeast and there was a waffle/sandwich/coffee shop in the same building as the bar.  Waffles for dinner - sounded just right by me!  Strawberries, whipped cream and homemade belgian (or is it "Belgium"?) waffles with a cappuccino on the side.    Furniture, a good little buzz and strawberries & whipped cream.  What a good day!