Moose Breakfast

Early this morning I went back to the yard to trade cars because the one I was driving the rear view mirror fell off. I must be getting stronger from splitting and hauling wood in. All I did was adjust it. Some windshield glass came off with it. On my way I spotted this fat calf eating breakfast. I knew the momma had to be close by. And there she was on the other side of the road.

She sure looked lean and skinny. While her calf looked fat and happy.

All the cars were gone from the yard so I drove the rest of day with no rear view mirror. Just used my side mirrors and the eyes in the back of my head.

Goodbye Snow, Hello High Gas Prices

Two trips to Palmer on this beautiful spring like day. No wind! It was time to remove the piles of snow in the old Carrs/Safeway parking lot. A new store opened across the street.

Today was my Monday and in my last 2 days off gas went up 4 cents a gallon. This is starting to be old hat.

Where the Pavement Ends

After driving a cab all day I do not mind a leisurely drive home. Past this point there isn't a lot of traffic. Just beautiful scenery. The 15 minutes it takes me to get home, at 25mph, is relaxing.

On my day off today I scrounged up some egg cartons to make Girl Scout firestarters. I already had a bag of chips leftover from last summer so all I needed was parrafin to buy. These are lifesavers for inside or outside fires. All you do is pour the melted wax in the chip filled egg cartons and let cool.

Happiness is a full woodbox. I'm learning the tricks of heating with wood. I've got a cord of mixed spruce, dry and green birch. Also have lots of birch bark available as the landlords sell wood ($200 a cord) and have a hydraulic splitter.

The firestarters save me from chopping kindling. Once I get the fire started with the starters, some birch bark and spruce I add a couple green birch logs and close the damper down. This banks the fire for 6-8hrs. I bank it full when I leave for work in the morning and 14 hrs later I come home to a semi-warm cabin with a few coals still burning.

Many Moons

Notice the moon shining through the trees and the solar powered lamp. Handy at night.

The Real McCoy

This guy has a good show. A real CABOOSE in his yard!

Empty Nest

A little over a month ago this nest was active with 3 mature eagles guarding and feeding their young. Certainly a sign of spring now that they are gone.

New York Drivin'

As I was leaving the Wasilla HS pool tonight a fireworks show was going on in the distance on the lake. A lot is happening in the valley Sunday. Saw many Iditarod mushers transporting their dogs on the Parks Hwy today. The official restart, after the cerimonial start in Anchorage Saturday, is in Willow Sunday. Last year 17,000 people showed up and most will drive right through Wasilla to get there. Sunday is going to be a lot of fun being a cabbie. I'm going to have to do some New York drivin'.

Later Days

Took this picture on my way home tonight about 7:15pm. Over 11 hours of daylight now!

Came home and started a fire and got this little place toasty warm in no time. In fact I'm thinking about cracking a window. Come on spring!

Sticker shock at the pumps today: $3.84 a gallon!?!?!

Across the Little Su

Found me a little cabin in the woods across the Little Susitna river. Its a dry cabin meaning no water. The rent is cheap and electricity is included. Heat is a cute little woodstove and theres an outhouse of my own. My GCI mobile wireless works here as well as my AT&T iPhone. I now live about 20 miles from the taxi yard on a farm with cattle, horses, a hundred birds, 3 dogs and 2 cats. Nice folks that sell fresh eggs. Did I mention chickens?

Gas Hurts

I think I make pretty good money til I go to the pumps. Gas has gone up 2 bits since I started cabbing Jan 18th. OUCH!!!

Palmer

Every so often I'll get a ride to Palmer which connects to Wasilla now that the valley has grown so much.

Its a farm town with its own
"Major League Baseball" field.

Good Laugh

As I snapped this picture a gust of wind blew my hair in my face.

Windys in Town

Picture taken out of my cracked windshield.

Cab Calling

Got me a smart phone yesterday. Got an iPhone for 49 bucks but with all the gadgets I needed (cover, bluetooth and car charger) with it the total was $177. The protective cover cost more than the phone.

I have to make sure I grab a cab that the lighter works!

Good Cabbie Coffee

I usually get McDonalds coffee, its hot and cheap. A medium coffee with 3 creams is a $1.62 including tax in Wasilla. $1.60 in Anchorage. Every once in a while I splurge on an espresso. A 2 shot Americano with half and half is my order,

Big Lake Ice Road

Take a drive on the lake that is the start of the IRON DOG snowmachine race Sunday.

A Day at the Office

The Glenn Hwy between North and South Birchwood exits. Winter driving advisory today!

Tundra Cat

It would be cool if this was my cab!

Moose Lights

Too bad moose are not lit up at night like this when they are crossing the road.

Stepping Out

Cabbies are always in contact with each other via radio. We take turns dispatching, usually 2 hrs each depending on how many drivers are rolling. When not in the office you let the dispatcher know you are stepping out and when you are back in. You broadcast when you pick up, where you are going and when you are clear. We all help each other out with directions if needed. When we get backed up and say so on the radio other cab companies monitor our frequency and send their drivers out to our pickups that are waiting more than 15-20 minutes. Thats the business.

I can see for miles

Long day for the FishTaxi today. Went in an hour early for a pickup in Wasilla to the Anchorage airport at 5:30am. Thats a flat rate of $65. Nice to start the day almost paying the lease. After we get to the airport the ride asked for a military discount so I knew there would be no tip. Oh well, I was off and running. Almost burned through a tank of gas and covered ground from Settlers Bay (pictured above) to the Butte out past Palmer. Wanted to get off early so I could go swimming in the Wasilla pool but that didn't happen. Not when money was being made. Don't want to miss out on that. But I don't want be a fat cab driver either sitting on my ass all day and eating ice cream every night. I want to swim so I can eat ice cream.

Dumb Ass

At shift change tonight I'd gassed up and was heading back to the yard with my ears on listening to the night shift first dispatcher. I had just snagged an early morning Anchorage run that nobody wanted when a call came in.

Dispatcher: Alaska Cab

Caller: One of your drivers in Car #31 is tailgaiting me.

Car #31: hey dumb ass! Your going 25 in a 45 mile an hr zone!

Caller: wow.

(hang up)

The caller guy expected to tell on the cabbie...not get immediately yelled at.

Beautiful sunset tonight.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel

One of the cool things about driving a cab is helping old people with their groceries. One 89 year old lady who drove up the Alcan in 1952 painted these beautiful oils. The cat below is the cat that rode up with her in the back seat of her chevy coup. She invited me in to see the cat hanging on her wall. I asked her what the cats name was and she couldn't remember so just called him cat.

Day Tripper

Driving day shift I get to the yard in time to check the fluids and warm up my cab to be rolling by 6am. It starts getting light out about 8:30 and this is the sun setting at 5:30. Soon it will be daylight my whole shift.

Fish Shack

This is a small tourist information place thats closed down for the winter. It sits in the Chevron parking lot on the corner of the Parks Hwy and Webb Street. Chevron is where all the taxi cabs pump their gas. Today's gas price is $3.50 a gallon. We lease the cab for $70.00 a day and always leave a clean cab (inside and out) for the next 12 hr shift. We drive Crown Vics with studs all around in the winter. They handle great and are fun to drive. After driving them all day I get in my Toyota van and feel like I'm driving a bus.

Fiddler Crab

New look for the FishTaxi Blog. Things have changed once again for me. Moved to the valley 3 weeks ago when I got a job for the good local cab company. Staying with a friend in Big Lake and the picture is of the Fiddler Crab in her community fish tank.

Stay tuned for daily updates and pictures of the adventure of driving a cab in the Last Frontier.

Buddah Hands & Key Limes

I live close to the New Sagaya City Market in Mid-Town Anchorage. I remember when it was a little store on Spenard. I still have the teapot I bought there way back when. Now there are two wonderful full-fledged markets. I figure if I'm going to live in the city I might as well take advantage of all the good things a city offers. (Went to a movie theater the other night and saw the new True Grit.

It was a fantastic remake of the old movie. If you get a chance Go See It!)

Now Buddah Hands are a fruit I'd never seen. I googled them and found out they are edible and how to eat them. They cook up great with fish, chicken and vegetables. They make great tea, marmalades and liqueurs. Best of all they make great natural air fresheners! After reading about them now I want to buy one. They were a little freaky to me when I saw them but being a lemon freak now I have to my hands on a Buddah Hand.

The key limes surprised me. I did not realize they were so small until now. Not much more to say about them except they took a nice bright picture. Oh, and Key Lime pie is good!

Fun with Fireworks

Thank-you Anchorage Assembly for allowing fireworks in Anchorage's city limits NYE. The dark winter skies were lit up and it sounded like a war zone around here. Way to bring the New Year in with a BANG Anchorites! I thoroughly enjoyed the free show! Lots of ooo's & aaah's!!

By 2010

Dawn broke for me this year
Secrets to life's riddles answered
Harmony achieved and savored daily
An appreciation of my reality gained
With unmasked truths accepted at face value
Gratitude given for the stormy as well as the calm

Like a wave washing over me
I felt the changes inside emerge
I felt youth fade and maturity appear
I traded seeking something for finding everything
All the treasures known yet unseen
Already possessed but not purchased

I know the light of wisdom
Wisdom only gained through the years
The trick of letting go and holding on
The balance between sharing and taking
The power in wanting to give more
The payment received in expecting nothing

These are the things I realized in 2010
The gifts age has bestowed me
Gifts not meant for those still seeking their rainbow
Destined for those who learn they must create their own
I am now on top of the world
Having conquered my mountain
Enjoying the view towards my future
I could not see before.

By Cindy Butherus
August 30th, 2010

THE DIGITAL STORY OF NATIVITY - ( or Christmas 2.0 )

Plant an Amaryllis

Sure brightens things up!

Angels are Amongst Us

And I got picutures to prove it!

Upside Down Christmas Tree

FAKE!!