On a blustery December morning, my sister Sharon dropped by for coffee with my wife Sue and I. We agreed we had been spoiled by a two-week stretch of blue bird days that resulted in great ice skating. We also agreed, that based on several combined decades of collective Cordova weather observation, sooner or later we would pay the price.
Outside our dining room window, southeast winds and big incoming tides produced white caps on Odiak Slough, but at least most of the roads were back down to bare dirt or pavement due to warming temperatures.
Two days prior, the city had been ice bound. Power Creek Road was so treacherous our daughter Gretchen Carpenter - in a demonstration of dedication and moxie that made us proud - put on creepers, and walked the mile from her home overlooking the far end of the small runway to Mt. Eccles Elementary. She was greeted by her 5th grade class with astonished "What are you doing here's?" They had been notified they would have a sub for the day.
Gretchen even used a trail we had cut through the wooded hillside to get down to the road, and noted "Actually, that was the best part."
Turns out, with the wind at her back, she arrived just in time for a math lesson and corrected some misunderstanding about decimals. As a former high school math teacher, I would surely have enjoyed her students when they showed up for Algebra 1.
Sharon also arrived a little late for coffee, because as one of Cordova's unofficial Ombudsmen, she had been delayed while encouraging several Main Street enterprises to put up Christmas decorations on the light poles in front of their stores.
"Ombudsman" is a Swedish word meaning "representative of the people." For countless years there was little doubt who's filled this role in Cordova. Her name was Tina Tapley, and one could be sure when she showed up at City Council meetings or public hearings - fireworks were in store.
Sharon, I am pleased to say, uses a much more diplomatic approach, dropping by with a friendly reminder that it is the holiday season, and with a poor fishing season behind us, this of all years is one in which we need some holiday cheer.
She who never, never - and I mean absolutely never - pats herself on the back, proceeded to tell us about her latest service project, which involves old Cordova High School Annuals.
She was one of the helpers at their morning "Mug Ups" at this fall's All School Reunion and ended up with a box full of old CHS Annuals.
They had been placed on a table at the coffee gatherings for alumni to take, and those that were left behind were bound for the trash.
Instead, she posted the dates of the annuals on Facebook and offered to send them to those interested. One of the responders was a parent whose daughter graduated here but lost all her school memorabilia in a house fire. Since it was going to be a surprise Christmas gift, revealing her name in this article would spoil the surprise.
Another resident called while we were having coffee to arrange a convenient time to pick up the annuals she wanted.
Sharon, who has on occasion encountered less than positive exchanges on Facebook, mentioned this was a great example of the positive side of social media.
It's also a great example of Christmas cheer and generosity.