Kreider Khronicles

Welcome to another weekly update. This week is three weeks of living in Alaska. Which is a lot different than Pennsylvania. A lot slower pace of life. It is very refreshing to take a step back and just enough the moment and not worry about what is next.

For Easter lunch was spent with friends and made some new ones as well. It was wonderful to fellowship with friends. Spent a lot of time with friends. Enjoying each moment. Spent our time listening to stories from those who have been in the area for years. Also played games with the children.

During the week, we finally put-up pictures. Now the house feels like a home. That was the last item to do before the house was complete. Minus needing to update a few of the pictures. The house is no longer a big mess like it had been while we tried to figure out what went where. Was hard to do but figured out what we need and what can be put in the storage unit. Feels nice to make this place more like home.

Throughout this week the temperatures have been rising. With the rising temperatures, means that the snow is melting. In turn the snow on the roof has fallen off. Not a fun time being in the house when there is a loud crash and the house shakes. I mean the entire house shakes when the snow falls off. First was our neighbors house but then ours was next. I didn’t enjoy that but also nice to see the roof. The snow has melted at a fast rate. Means there is a lot of pooling on the roads and parking lots. Lot of driving through standing water. We went through one road that could have been a river. Now most of the snow packed roads are the actual dirt roads. Also starting to see the grass for the first time.

We had the truck serviced this week. Originally only went in for an oil change and tire rotation. Soon found out that our back breaks need replaced. We chalked this up to pulling the trailer from PA to AK. So the very next day I returned to that shop and within two hours we had new back breaks. Now everything is smooth sailing.

One thing about moving to Alaska, is that within a certain timeframe we need to change our license to from Pennsylvania to Alaska. To do this we need to take a test. Similar to the written test needed to get a learners permit in PA. This test is also a lot different than that one. More questions on insurance and road knowledge. We went on Saturday morning before running our errands to try an obtain our new licenses. From Benjamin’s coworkers we have found out that this test isn’t the easiest. We didn’t think much of it since we have taken a road knowledge test before. We were very wrong. That test is difficult. We both failed. We now have to wait 24 hours before taking it again. But since we went on the last workday we will wait till Monday to try again. This time we will prepare more.

To make our day a little better we decided to try out a coffee shop. There are coffee shops/huts all over the place. Seems like Alaska runs off coffee. This time we tried Buckos. Really good coffee. If one ever finds themself in Fairbanks, they should try Buckos. We continued the day with running to the laundry mat, because we still don’t have a washer and dryer, also made our way to the grocery store. We have learned to go to Costco for bigger items and then Fred Myer for the rest of our groceries. Fred Myer is a Kroger store so we still have access to Turkey Hill ice cream. Which if you are from Pennsylvania you know how important that is.

To finish out our weekend we went to an ice hockey game. Fairbanks has a junior league team. It was a very good game. First game we have been too in a very long time. Forgot how much we enjoyed watching ice hockey. The Ice Dogs ended up winning the game 7 to 1. They played a team from Minnesota. It was the second game of the weekend. By the time the game was over it was still light out at 10:30pm. Very strange feeling to walk outside expecting it to be dark and in turn it is light.

The longer we have been here the more daylight there is. this has messed with our sense of time. We will be sitting out home enjoying our evening and the sunshine. We finally decide to look at the clock and it is 10pm. Then we are scrambling to get ready for bed, but it is still really bright in our bedroom. To stop the light from shinning in as much i made homemade black out curtains. Mostly due to the cost of curtains here and wanting to find a cheaper alternative. So, I spent the week finding what material would work best and came up with a idea of how to make it all work. Wasn’t super confident in my sewing abilities just because I just really starting sewing. But I made something that worked. Worked so well that Benjamin slept in for the first time in awhile. With our bedroom door shut our room is pitch black. Now we are ready for the sunshine all day long. Well at least in our bedroom. If it becomes too much for the living room, I can make another one.

This week we attempt to obtain our Alaskan license. Come back next week to find out if we passed and what other adventures we go on. This week will be a month of living in Alaska and adjusting to it all. See you all next week.