I have a problem.
I love Alaska.
I can't stop thinking about it.
I want to go back tomorrow.
I know I would never tire of luxuriating in the delicious views.
But that's not even the best part of this tiny corner of the globe.
The best part is the people. Here are some of them, at our dyeing class in Cordova.
Yarn people are by definition some of the nicest people you'd ever have coffee with.
But the yarnies in Alaska? Horse of a different color.
Nice isn't even close.
Have you ever been to a concert and been thanked by the performer for being a great crowd?
Or been a teacher and just totally clicked with a group of students?
Groups have personalities. And this is a very small town in a remote location, so the group is more cohesive than you might find in big cities.
Gracious, is how I would describe them. Genial. Neighborly. Fun loving.
Kind.
Genuine.
I never felt like an outsider here, despite my schmancy, impractical attire.
I like to sleep with a fan on, for the white noise. The cabin I stayed at didn't have one, but five minutes later, someone else in town brought me one of theirs. I don't even know how she knew I needed a fan. But yet, a need was seen and a need was met. That's just a small example, but people here take care of each other.
People here do amazing things like this.
Sit down.
That is a cake, my friends. A big chocolate cake.
I can't even begin to imagine the work that went into that beauty. (Diane, you are a genius.)
More astonishing still is that she made that at home and then brought it a very long way on a very bumpy dirt road to a potluck here:
This calving glacier periodically sounds like a building is about to collapse as chunks break off and fall into the water.
Ice doesn't look like it can heave mighty groans and trigger small explosive devices. But it does.
I was told by more than one person that the distance across this river is one mile, and that the glacier is 11 stories tall.
How can that be true? How? They swear it is.
I'm not using forced perspective or other photography tricks. The river looks in person as it does in my pictures.
The adults chatted and stood near the fire while the children ran and squealed, just as it should be.
Bald eagles flew overhead, the sky still blue at 10:00 pm.
Then someone -- who shall remain nameless -- insisted that I have my picture taken with the amazing cake in front of the glacier that cannot possibly be a mile away.
(OK, fine. It was Dotty. Resistance was futile.)
While the cake was carefully moved into position, I handed off my camera so someone could take a picture.
My memory card held nine pictures of me making this face. I call it Amused and Mildly Embarrassed.
And twenty four shots of this. I call it My Eyes are Closed and You Can't See the Cake.
The Net Loft -- the store I taught at while I was in Cordova -- is a sanctuary.
I have never seen a shop like it. I would like to set up camp here.
I can move in, right, Dotty? The horsedog would be on her best behavior.
Or, let's be honest. I would just hang around until they gave me a job. I'm persistent like that.
The Net Loft has nearly everything I need to lead a happy life. Beautifully scented everything.
Lush displays.
Large quantities of my very own yarn. This is only a portion of it.
A wall of ribbons.
Sparkly jewelry.
Gorgeous beauty products.
And enough knitted inspiration to stop your heart.
This sweater is an entirely original design, knit from our yarn. Can you even believe it?
The Net Loft almost has as many knitting books as I do. Between the two of us, we're keeping the knitting book publishers afloat.
I love seeing yarn arranged by color. It makes sense to my brain.
This amazing needle case came home with me.
You know what I didn't get any pictures of? The wall of imported chocolate. Think artisan-crafted chocolate covered fudge caramels with Hawaiian Sea Salt. I thought my way through several bags full.
So, my problem is that I liked it here so much that I want to move into The Net Loft.
I liked the people so much that I want to be their best friend.
I liked the cake and chocolate so much that I want to gain 40 pounds.
What can I do about these problems?
Help?