Back to Normal...

We have had a very active last several days here. Understatement.

As I suggested in my last post, all power/heat/water to the teacher apartment units here in Napaskiak went out on Tuesday the 8th of January at about 4:30 pm. The school generators were up and running the next morning, providing us with a place to work or do anything else in a warm location. It also gave us a place to cook. Very important.

By Wednesday, the houses had gotten significantly colder at the end of the day. We spent the night huddled under down comforters that we placed atop the usual bedding. I tried to sleep with a bunch of clothing on in the belief that it would keep me warmer, a belief that proved to be misplaced. I ended up stripping it all off and just using body heat and the insulation power of the bedding. I slept like a rock, despite the fact that the temperatures in the bedroom were very chilly. I didn't get up until nearly 10 am on Thursday.

Thursday morning found us back at the school, doing the breakfast and coffee thing again. I got in contact with our union president about the housing conditions, which are covered by our contract, and also learned that negotiations had produced a tentative agreement with the school district for the new contract to come into effect retroactive to July, 2012. There were a lot of emails to send to different folks, as I am both a site rep for the union and an area director as well. It was actually fun to be busy, and we broke up the day with a couple of Slaaviq visits.

Later Thursday, some of the staff members began to trickle into town. Our neighbors and their nearly one-year-old daughter came back late in the day, and our temporary dean of students came in at some point as well. The big event of the afternoon, however, was the return of power to our buildings!

It was tentative at first, but as the day went on, it became clearer that the needed part had been located, brought to town, and installed. By this morning, everyone in Napaskiak was back on the local power grid. It brings us to a warmer, happier weekend for everyone, and I can get my laundry done, too! Hooray!

My lesson plans are done and emailed in to the boss (who got here at some point today, I believe), and I am planning to spend the weekend at home (except for my trip to Bethel for the union meeting and some grocery shopping). Time to relax before we get back to the swing of things on Monday...