bill swisher (1:124/311) wrote to Sam Moss at 12:02 on 11 Dec 2009:

 bs> Uhhh...I/we live in Anchorage but I/we're doing the snowbird thing,
 bs> down  here in America right now.  Spend at a minimum 7 months out
 bs> of the year  there.  Moved there in 1980, got tired of the winters,
 bs> retired and  bought a 5th wheel.  Spent 3 winters driving to/from
 bs> Alaska, two round  trips across the lower 48, plus a short run from
 bs> Seattle to Yuma and  then back to Anchorage (total mileage for the
 bs> trips was about 35,000  miles).  Drove by Steven Horn 5 times, but
 bs> only called 2 or 3 times.  Missed him every time.  We spend lots of
 bs> the summer parked in a 5th  wheel very close to the Kenai River,
 bs> like 30 yards away.  The rest in  the house we own in Anchorage.

But Bill, what happened to all the other participants in the original
ALASKA_CHAT? I have spoken to Queen Deidre from time to time but that has
been about business and other than you, the rest have faded away.

As for "snowbirding", my wife and I may start doing it but never
for more than five months.  Now that I have been become a poster child for
Yukon (and Canadian) medicare, having just cost the taxpayers of Yukon and
Canada over $100,000.00 for hospitalization (36 days), tests, consultations
with neurologists, and drugs [my direct cost was $46.19 for one
prescription Yukon's Pharmacare did not cover], I want to ensure I retain
my coverage as other territories and provinces don't do it as well.

Incidentally, our weather is now quite weird,  We had a lot of snow early
in November (I ran my snowblower three times) but we have now settled into
a routine where the temp is about -15ø Celsius or 5ø Fahrenheit with lots
of hoarfrost, some light snow and some fog.  Occasionally the sun breaks
through and it's all a Winter wonderland.
 
AQnd I'm sorry I missed you but now that I'm on pre-retirement leave [my
formal retirement begins on January 2, 2010], I am home more often.

Take care,

Steven Horn (steven.horn{at}northwestel.net)
Moderator, ALASKA_CHAT 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+