July 2, 2004

2004_0702Image0024.JPG The house I'm trying to buy 2004_0702Image0025.JPG 2004_0702Image0026.JPG 2004_0702Image0027.JPG 2004_0702Image0029.JPG It is likely that I will paint this room 2004_0702Image0030.JPG 2004_0702Image0035.JPG 2004_0702Image0037.JPG 2004_0702Image0040.JPG Construction equipment is ~1/4 mile away 2004_0702Image0042.JPG 2004_0702Image0043.JPG The new bicycle

July 2, 2004

It looks like I have found a house.  My offer has been accepted pending inspections, me getting a mortgage, etc.  I included some pics above.  It is a two-story house with 1800 sq. ft. on a 2-acre lot in the hills north of Fairbanks.  The top floor has the living room, dining room, kitchen, and two bedrooms.  The lower level has a 1-car garage, bathroom-laundry, a bedroom, and a family room (or another bedroom).  It's about 6 or 7 miles from campus.  As is typical for homes up here, it's on a septic tank, and the water comes from a 1500-gallon holding tank. 

I've heard the weather's been miserable in Texas with a lot of flooding.  Up here forest fires in the region have caused the town to be covered in dense smoke for over a week.  A lot of people are wearing face masks, and you can definitely feel it and smell it in the air.  Most outdoor activities (baseball games, etc.) are getting canceled.  The wind is supposed to change direction tonight, and it is supposed to start clearing up a little.

I did an interview with the local TV station that aired today.  I clearly need to work on my interview skills.  The radio interview I did is supposed to air on Sunday, the 4th.  The show should be available as an mp3 at www.akradio.org.

Since many of the roads around here are gravel, including the one my future house is on, I decided to buy a mountain bike.  I have never done any mountain biking.  The university has tons of undeveloped land north of campus that has a network of trails.  I took the new bike out for a couple of hours today, and it was pretty fun.  Even bathed in deet I still got mauled by mosquitoes in a few places. 

I went to work Wednesday, but Thursday and Friday were university holidays, so I really won't get started until Monday.  I will have an office in the library until I'm able to move into my new office in August.  I'm still in the process of filling out paperwork, going through orientation, and so on.

Not much else new to report for now.