Finishing touches and high hopes

Dwayne and I finished Scribby's skis today. From one angle, the workmanship and paint job appear perfect. For that i am proud. From the opposite angle and close up, one can tell of learning done. Dwayne says that Larry will be glad that someone learned while doing the project. Larry is a teacher himself. He'd be pleased also in the fact that Dwayne and I invented laudable methods along the way.
Dwayne told us today of his interest in going to Bettles after Fairbanks on Tuesday. Bettles is a place where Dwayne and David Ketscher used to live, and it's also the most northerly destination i'd be to. It's just north of the Arctic Circle. I am praying that he'll follow through with his hopes to take us there. It would mean a fabulous flying experience and more flight time for us pilots.
The daylight is definitely waning down. By 8:30 it is "dark" and by 9 'black'. i remember when, at 10:30 at night, a student and i were just headed out on a reutein flight lesson 'while it was still bright'. Times are changing.
I commented to Shane that, if he got a job in Glennallen, he might at least be living with his sister, who can be a good example to him. Shane commented back that we are already too good of examples to him. Then i asked him if his cussing so much brings gratification to him. He replied that it does not; if it did, he says he'd be saying those words 'all the time in every &*%$ sentence', which he already practically does.
Katrina and Briana left today for Georgia. I am at ease because i took care of the electric piano when I did. I wish i see them again before i leave.
I want to put together a top-ten list of why flying in Alaska is more special than flying in the Outside. What makes it so genuinely valuable?
-A 2,000 runway is too long for a respectable Alaska-disciplined pilot to need all of.
-Trees are really formidable obstacles.
-Where am i supposed to land this thing if its engine dies?
-For rudder and steep turn practice, I fly low on the Matanuska river back home
-We know our Flight Service Station people by name
-The FAA redefined 'sunset', allows flying over gross, and wrote a regulation on Anchorage airspace-all just for Alaska.
-Downsloping, curving, short, narrow, gravelly, grassy and wet: i've landed safely on that runway.
-Your life depends on your learning to leave the door of escape back to safety open.
-You've always got a second chance to push your potential, but not always a second chance to push your luck.

just a few that came to mind during some brainstorming.
Elmo, i'm on the same wavelength as you; i did not use the right words to describe what i'm getting at with the relationship between trust and intimidation. The more correct word is transcends: Trust transcends intimidation.

The picture was taken on Kostya's last weekend with us. We are standing on the bank of King's River.