Friday, February 22, 2008, 'the Long Dark', Barrow, AK~

Dear Journal~

Sikik Grace Eegeesiak here.

Been a while since I wrote in here; sorry about that. Have been having horrible weather: hurricane-force winds at times, blowing snow or blinding blizzards, power outages, etc.--you know, typical wicked winter weather.

Haven't been able to get out--too much cold (highs in the sub readings with hurricane-force winds at times), snow banked up against the house, hard to get to town to get my groceries.

Such as the norm here in Barrow, Alaska, where I live. Those waters can get mighty mean, especially in the winter. Winds, too, making it seem even colder than what it already is.

Also dark until nine/ten in the morning, sun out for only a few hours before it turns night again; this is the period known as "the long dark" by us Inuit. So I don't stay up most days during the winter; too dark to do anything.

The last time I tried to write, I nearly set my house on fire. Knocked a candle over; candle scorched the table, one of the chairs. Got scared, beat out flames with my hand; suffered second degree burns on my hands from beating out the flames. Spent weeks recovering; they're still not quite healed.

(I know now I should have grabbed some snow to put out the flames; however I panicked, so I used the closest thing to me: my hands.

Stupid move, Sikik, very stupid move!!)

At least now I can do things; they don't hurt nearly as much; however, they're scarred, and they look ugly.

Serves me right trying to beat out the flames with my bare hands!

My brothers and sisters have been stopping by as I recover; they've been doing my chores for me. My MS and fibro giving me no end  of trouble. Some days I can get around pretty good; others I am using my wheelchair to get by. Very frustrating disease, MS! I hate it!!

Have heard from Katrina Delchamps; she and Frank are doing good. I have been meaning to write back to them; I then had this accident, which set my writing back even further. I have at least 20 e-mails still waiting to be answered (mostly from Jenna in Anchorage, Jenny [my firend here], Louie Sandusky in Tennessee, and Katrina Delchamps in Fairbanks).

It's nuts!

If I hear "You've got mail" one more time, I'm gonna throw this darn computer out the window! ARRGGHH!!

It's only 1 in the morning here, soon to be two (in five minutes it'll be two o'clock). Couldn't sleep; hands itching too badly. It feels like millions of tiny pins and needles; it's about to drive me insane!!!

O, if I could only get some good night's sleep--I'd then be happy! Very happy!! I haven't had a good night's sleep since the accident!

Well, I'm getting stupid, so I am going to put this pitiful excuse for a journal entry to bed. I am going to go there myself; I need to get my rest!! Until later, Journal, this is Sikik signing out of here. Good night! *YAWN*

~Love, your Inuk friend, Sikik Grace Eegeesiak. :)