Life in the town of King Salmon

So today I thought I would talk about what life has been like in King Salmon the month that I have been here. No one here actually calls King Salmon a town.  If you are going to town it means that your heading to Anchorage.  It took me a while to realize that.  But yes if you say your going to town, you mean, your hopping on a plane flying a hour and a half to go to Anchorage.  There are two main reasons to go to Anchorage.  One to see a doctor as there are no Doctors here.  Or two to buy food.  The biggest place everyone wants to go is Cosco.  You might head over there if your going to buy a new car, 4 wheeler, or boat but it is not a big reason for anyone to go to town. 

Food buying is as big of conversation topic as the weather.  Whenever anyone finds a new place to shop online they let everyone know.  Places that have big bargins on everyday items puts big smiles on peoples faces.  And you would think gold was discovered when Amazon.com let Alaskans have free shipping.  You can now spend $25 on food through them and it is shipped free.  I think pools have all ready begun to see how long that will last. 

I have all ready told you that we have to take our garbage to the local dumpster.  Being a city girl from the lower 48 garbage was always picked up by a big garbage truck.  Thats what I thought happened here only they just emptied the dumpsters to save on gas.  Nope.  Here two guys in a pick-up truck drive around to the dumpsters picking up bags of trash and then they haul it to the dump.  Usually, I'm told, they pick up the garbage around 10 am. but if it is basketball season you had better have your trash out early.

Everyone in here knows everyone.  I had been gone for over a week to go to Brooks Camp and the lady at the grocery and the postmaster asked me where I had been.  Since I have only been a resident for a month that is pretty inpressive. 

I have learned not to take anything for granted.  For example, there are days when basic necessities aren't available.  The grocery store has been out of milk twice now.  Eggs are hard to come by but I am good as I bought 18 dozen a couple of weeks ago.  I have learned that flour is more valuable than gold.  A five pound bage of flour is $14.  25 pounds will run almost $50.  And to think I use to buy it at Sams club for $8 for 25 pounds. 

Life is built here around the salmon and in a few days they should start to arrive and with the fish come the wildlife.  We have yet to see anything bigger than the red fox in town but yesterday we saw fresh tracks of a wolf.  Supposedly the bears will be wandering the neighborhood soon.  Life is quiet and time is told by the arrival of the Penn airflights and the Cargo plane that arrives once a day.  It is totally different from life in the 48.  I think I like that.