Traveling, skiing and jobs

The last couple weeks has been filled with air plane rides across the country and back and forth a few times.

View Dec 2010 in a larger map
I spent a couple days at home before attending the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in San Francisco.  At the end of the trip I went out to Castleton State College in Vermont for an interview for an analytical/environmental chemist faculty position.  Thanks to everyone at home for a great time and some great Christmas presents.  I hope everyone liked their salmon and halibut smorgasbord along with homemade syrups and jams.
The interview went well and I will be starting as a faculty member at Castleton starting next fall.  Unfortunately, we will have less than 8 months to do all we can in Juneau before the 4000 mile ride back across the country.  I'm sure Stout will like that!

It has been cold and dry in Juneau lately.  Not the best alpine skiing but the nordic skiing and views in general have been great.  Other highlights included the lunar eclipse, which occurred around 930pm here, so we didn't have to stay up late (or wake up early), and the winter solstice.  It may not seem like a big deal down south, but the winter solstice is a big deal on most people's calendars up here.  LONGER DAYS!!

Ski jorring with Stout on Mendenhall Lake

Stout looking for some friends

Skate track on the lake with Mendenhall Glacier and towers in the background

Off the skate track where the glacier flows into the lake

Might be hard to see but kids are sledding on the iceberg onto the lake

It is too bright and only about 8 degrees

High noon 30 on the lake

We cut down a Christmas tree out behind the house and Hillary decorated it like an expert

At least he isn't biting the tree ...

Don't worry you got Christmas presents too!

Wall art provided by Steph and Martin

See even Stout has a stocking up on the wall (Thanks Randy and Jenny!)

Weekend turns

Hillary taking some turns with Stout trying to catch her

Skiing up on Ben Stewart

Laughing at Stout trying to wade his way through the snow that had a punchy, denser wind effected top

Poor Stout

Eventually he would just give up and lay there half sitting, half laying down.  He is still tired today.

Sam getting some air

In the air ...

Back on the snow

I forget why she was making a funny face here ... probably Stout again.  I bet you wouldn't have guessed that it was 12:15p with those long shadows

The snow has come!

Daily snowfall totals at 2200 ft

Last Sunday we went for a ski tour up Mt. Ben Stewart

Stout went with us and used his pack to carry food and water

He thinks he is on the beach sometimes and digs holes

His hard work of carrying food up pays off

What you looking at?

This morning looking down on the airport from atop Eaglecrest preparing for some early morning turns

Lots of light new snow!

We have also been nordic skiing with our waxless skis out behind the apartment each night.  Stout is pretty exhausted after each tour.  He (and Hillary) would have came with me and Sam this morning to ski, but he had a vet appointment to have another neuter.  After noticing over the last month what seemed like another testicle growing we thought we would have him checked out.  We thought we were crazy at first, but over time we believed our assessment was correct.  The vet blew it off over the phone as a so-called hematoma or swelling, but we knew it was a left behind testicle.  The doctor was stunned to find a fully attached healthy leftover testicle on Stout when we brought him in.  I'm not really sure how you remove one of two descended testicles, sew him back up, discard the one that was removed and no one ever noticed that the job was incomplete.  At the office, embarrassment ensued along with a complimentary office visit, follow-up surgery (today), and gifts for Stout.  We could tell that he was mentally anguished the last few months and really confused about his sexuality and duty as a male dog.  We wondered why he was always nervous around female dogs, and it is obvious now that he was unsure of his ability to get the job done with limited equipment.  Now he will know that he has no chance.  I could have supplied pictures here, but I wanted to save Stout the exposure ... he just wants to put it all behind him as soon as possible.