Janet Mc Cart - An Alaskan Woman Writes Again: From the Pipeline, to Field Surveys, to Duct-Tape Cleavage

A N A LASKAN W OMAN W RITES A GAIN

F ROM THE P IPELINE, TO F IELD S URVEYS, TO D UCT -T APE C LEAVAGE

J ANET M C C ART

PO Box 221974 Anchorage, Alaska 99522-1974

ISBN 978-1-59433-568-6

eBook ISBN 978-1-59433-569-3

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2015947078

Copyright 2015 Janet McCart

First Edition

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in any form, or by any mechanical or electronic means including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, in whole or in part in any form, and in any case not without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Manufactured in the United States of America.

Other Books By Janet McCart

Forgiving Rose
An Alaska Novel of Mystery, Friendship, and Romance

T he many-faceted nature of friendship among a group of forty-something women is revealed in all its glory and tackiness when the one who struck it rich drowns in her hot tub in Anchorage, Alaska. Forgiving Rose is a novel of mystery, friendship, and romance. Surprising circumstances surrounding the death of a manipulative but endearing friend brings seven women back to Alaska for her funeral, and a most uncommon wake. As old friends reunite, gossip, and relive old times, they find each of them has mixed feelings about their deceased friend, Rose. Details about Roses hot tub death are revealed as these women connect with the deceaseds boyfriend, ex-husband, and stepson. Friendships are tested as ironies unfold, unlikely romances strikeand extravagant surprises await them. When longtime friends hold a wake for Rose, they find that remembering her is easy, but forgiving Rose takes almost more than they can give.

Im Free, Im Free, Im Free: Now What?
A Semiserious Guide to Early Housekeeping, or Things You Wouldnt Let Your Family Tell You

If youve just graduated, or if you haventif youre going to advanced school, or if you arentif youre setting things in motion to strike out on your ownor if you blew the first or second go at liberty and having your own living spaceyoure in the right place. If you are serious about rules and guidelines and closets and all the details, go see Martha. If youd prefer some easy-going, mildly cynical guidance, Im Free, Im Free, Im Free: Now What? is for you.

Align the Law of what goes up must come down with the Golden Rule. Now add beds, moving, bills, friends, food poisoning, cleaning, toilets, money, rentals, baseline manners, and roommates, and you have a pretty good idea where were going here. The bottom line of Im Free, Im Free, Im Free: Now What? is to help you become sort-of informed so that you decide, and whatever happens, its your fault.

An Alaska Woman Writes Again, takes the reader along to experience the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, camping in the bush, encounters with bear and moose, and overcoming fear, through much laughter and some tears. These are stories of construction, geological tent camps, fishing, flying, golfing, and other personal stories of self-discovery here are written through the eyes of an Alaskan woman.

Alaska Map

Introduction

I ve met many remarkable Alaskan women over many years. These women have stories of bravery, humor, adventure, and truly unique situations far beyond my own. Is this because we find ourselves propelled too far into this place of extremes to back out? To move to Alaska is to move forward, curl up in a ball, or leave.

That leads us to realize many people here (and everywhere) have the ability to be remarkable, and they just dont understand they already are. Maybe that is why we have many humble women out there, with unsurprised smiles, when they watch the antics and actions of the crazy, brave, and adventuresome coming up behind them.

I dont think of myself as a trailblazer, but when I started pulling out journals I saw I was privileged to travel to many once-in-a-life-time places in Alaska, under uncommon circumstances much of it occurred before the world stood on its ear with changes of the turn of the century.

* Book: Alaska Women Write

With all kinds of experiences a group of Alaska women gathered stories and they were published to surprising success in a book called: Alaska Women Write. Because of complications, the book is no longer in regular circulation. The book dispels the myth that Alaska is a mans country.

Since this book is no longer on the shelves, its been suggested to me many times over the years that I put together a book of my stories.

With all kinds of experiences (good, beautiful, and scary), and a sense of humor in mind, I hope you enjoy this book.

Any errors in the story must be blamed on my memory and perception. So please forgive me if you saw it differently. Please dont think you are obligated to correct me. Its too late

Trans-Alaska Pipeliner

Y ou, young lady, are going north to Alaska to work at a construction site without a clue as to what or where.

What does that mean? The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was big news, world news at the time, and my uncle had some sway there. My mother had cooked up something with my Uncle to save me from sudden singleness, and angst-filled aimlessness. A trip to who-knows-where Alaska to work. Do what? Im not a welder. Doesnt matter. Give her something to do.

It was two in the morning when mom called, after we had attended the most depressing wedding ever. (My cousin got married in a baseball jersey. She and her brides maid were inseparable. The groom and his friends were at a different party.)

With my 2am brain, I said, Ill think about it.

In the middle of the night my mind conjured images of me endlessly pounding on a huge gray pipe with a wrench in the middle of fields of snow. (What else could the job be?) This made the job offer sound like a bad dream and a terrible idea.

The next morning my 25 year old self, my small home-town life, and recent-divorce-brain stared me square in the face. The lack of excitement and meaning in my life was turning me into a dial tone. Everyone was married and having babies. I was in the mood for world travel and adventure, not babies. At this point, pounding a pipe in the Arctic was taking on a certain cachet. Ill do it, whatever it is.

The fact that the pipeline is eight hundred miles long, and routed through some of the most forbidding terrain on earth, did not dampen mothers high spirits in helping me score this job.

I had five days to get my behind from Coeur dAlene, Idaho, to Anchorage, Alaska. Since everyone thought this was a great idea, it was not an option to turn back. The worldly concerns, rental house, furniture, stuff, and job, were falling like dominoes. People were jumping all over the place to help me have this adventure. There, done. Go on your merry way. Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

Determined that I would wear the latest styles in my work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, my moms last chore was to find me stylish clothing. She said, It never hurts to look your best. Clearly no one told her how they dress on construction sites. There was no turning mothers head with logic.

What did I know?

We came home from a whirlwind shopping tour with rust-colored suede boots, Pendleton woolens, a powder-blue jacket and pantsuit, and two pair of wool slacks with matching blouses and scarves. I splurged on hot pink luggage. It all turned out so that I would be as appropriately dressed as a Candy Striper in a mental ward.