Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Well, after 36 years working for various federal agencies, I am retiring. It took a long time to wrap my brain around the idea, but once I did, life changed. Never thought I would look forward to NOT working, as most of my career has been spent doing jobs I wanted to do. It is bizarre to realize that I can move someplace simply because I want to, not because the job/school/family obligations happen to be there. I'm flying up to Homer AK next week to scout for land and houses. People give me strange looks when I say I'm moving farther NORTH instead of down to the sunny south. Frankly, I hope I never have to get on a southbound jet again. Moving even farther north near Anchorage or Fairbanks ends up farther from my beloved rainy mountainous coast, so the Kenai Peninsula seems to be a good compromise.
Still not going to end up with a house that's closer to cham supplies unless I move to Anchorage. But that's a big city and property is very very expensive. Even if the house isn't much the property taxes will kill you.
Wish me luck on the hunt! Oh, in case any of you happen to watch those AK "reality" shows, there's one that features the Kilcher homesteading family on Kachemak Bay. The narration always makes it seem like they are completely cut off from civilization. Umm, hate to burst your bubble, but one of the properties I'll be looking at is about 10 miles from their place....and you get there by a maintained 4 season ROAD from Homer. Every time the show narrator harps about their desperate need to hunt/forage/chop wood/herd cattle/build or repair something to survive the winter I have to laugh. They can hop in a truck and go to the Homer Safeway or a local hardware store in a lot less time than going out to struggle against the elements. Oh, and all that stuff about the ominous "sub-zero Alaskan winter"...well, Kachemak is ice free all year, their homesteads are less than 1000 elevation above the Bay, and the average winter low temps get down to about -10 F during 3 months of the year max.
Still not going to end up with a house that's closer to cham supplies unless I move to Anchorage. But that's a big city and property is very very expensive. Even if the house isn't much the property taxes will kill you.
Wish me luck on the hunt! Oh, in case any of you happen to watch those AK "reality" shows, there's one that features the Kilcher homesteading family on Kachemak Bay. The narration always makes it seem like they are completely cut off from civilization. Umm, hate to burst your bubble, but one of the properties I'll be looking at is about 10 miles from their place....and you get there by a maintained 4 season ROAD from Homer. Every time the show narrator harps about their desperate need to hunt/forage/chop wood/herd cattle/build or repair something to survive the winter I have to laugh. They can hop in a truck and go to the Homer Safeway or a local hardware store in a lot less time than going out to struggle against the elements. Oh, and all that stuff about the ominous "sub-zero Alaskan winter"...well, Kachemak is ice free all year, their homesteads are less than 1000 elevation above the Bay, and the average winter low temps get down to about -10 F during 3 months of the year max.
Last edited:
How many sweaters do we need to start knitting for your chams since you are headed north and winter will be here before you know it. Seriously though...Alaska is beautiful. Coming from a Florida girl. 
