Paper dolls and valentines
By Gretchen Wehmhoff Carly Simon’s “My Romance” softly fills the air in my downtown apartment. Four-year-old Briannan, my future stepdaughter, and I are coating heart-shaped sugar cookies with canned frosting and colorful candies. We talk ...
Don’t hit your brother and other holiday tidbits
By Melinda Munson You should know that I dread Christmas. I also dislike babies, small children singing and puppies -- but those are topics for another column. Let’s focus on the holidays. Two weeks before ...
Long live the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa
By Gretchen Wehmhoff I’ve always known the Easter Bunny didn’t lay eggs. That was a no-brainer. But it took me several years to accept that the giant bunny didn’t hide the eggs. My realization was ...
Step into his/her office or pick up the phone
The Nov. 5 assembly meeting was epic, the kind of event that makes writing the front page story easy. It started with Cindy Godbey chastising Borough Manager Brad Ryan and moved on to Mavis Henricksen ...
Grateful amid global chaos
By Gretchen Wehmhoff As we approach the season we pair with warm fires, full wine glasses and good company, I’ve been looking back at the chaos and the treasures of 2020. Melinda and I jumped ...
Don’t look at the camera and other impossible things
By Melinda Munson I’m walking down the street when I forget how to breathe. Normally, I’m pretty good at inhaling and exhaling while I ambulate, but not when the professional camera crew follows. The documentary ...
October is a creepy time for knocking on doors
By Gretchen Wehmhoff I have a deep appreciation for those who step beyond their comfort zone for public service. Thank you to everyone who put their name forward to serve this unique community. As we ...
I have some explaining to do . . .
By Melinda Munson When he left, our maroon Highlander was whole. True, there were minor scratches and a place where our 8-year-old gnaws on the door handle when he’s frustrated. (This is why we don’t ...
Coffee, flowers, birthdays and anniversaries
By Gretchen Wehmhoff Early one Friday morning, I sat in front of my computer, to upload content for Alaska Family Fun. As my faithful, dinosaur iMac (2007 version - since upgraded) warmed up, I saw ...
Rough waters; negotiating Nahku Bay and my life
By Melinda Munson I am not a natural kayaker. This is a disappointment as I’ve dreamed of slicing through the Alaskan ocean in my own kayak since ninth grade. I’ve cherished this vision for over ...