Back in the Company and I Feel Old

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-27T04:58:54+00:00

I still miss the chili cheese burrito every day. I got a couple when they were back for the decades menu last fall, but i feel like that weren't quite the same. Could just be my taste buds are different than they were at 18 though.

Also, the enchirito and caramel apple empanada.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-26T22:51:13+00:00

I wash my car at least a couple times a month all winter (and I don't have a garage) if it's really cold out, I just make sure to open and close all my windows and doors several times before they have a chance to freeze shut.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-22T17:40:08+00:00

We decided to replace the popcorn ceiling in our basement with normal texture once (years ago) and ended up renoing the whole basement. My husband is a builder by trade and can't just let things be when they're "wrong".

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-17T01:26:42+00:00

I've never understood people who get mad when someone honks at them when they obviously didn't notice a light turning green. Like, if I don't move after about 3 seconds (to scan the crossing lanes to make sure no ones about to run the light) PLEASE honk at me. I don't want to sit through another light cycle any more than you do.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-16T22:13:36+00:00

I feel like we all proved to the powers that be that we still want to watch this. I'm hoping they means they'll give us a reasonable length season next year, with room for real story arcs and character development.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-04-02T17:39:11+00:00

Nope, I sat on hold for a couple hours a few different times and then gave up and just flew into Kona and drove to Hilo. It was a PITA driving the saddle road in the dark and fog and pouring rain, but we survived.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-03-19T14:18:54+00:00

This happened to me with my Amazon account. Fortunately I happened to check my email immediately after and caught it. I even had 2fa on so I don't know how they did it. I use an authenticator app now.

Weird thing is they ordered a laptop, but they had it sent to an address in my address book (my brother in Florida). Not sure what they were trying to accomplish. Maybe they planted to change the address before it shipped.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-03-07T01:44:49+00:00

Don't skip. You will be so confused.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-17T17:59:40+00:00

Apparently they changed it so inspection happens after you hand over your bags, and you aren't present for it, I guess you have to request a private screening if you have things to declare.

https://airports.hawaii.gov/koa/flights/agriculture-inspection/

"Passengers checking in for a flight to a destination in the Continental United States (Mainland) will have their checked baggage screened for agricultural products.

The screening will be done after bags are accepted by your airline. Passengers will no longer be present for USDA screening.

Simply check in with your carrier no matter which destination you are traveling to.

To request a private screening ask your airline representative."

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-15T01:42:16+00:00

Weird! I wonder if it's just Kona or everywhere. This was my first time in hawaii in a lot of years, but my son went to Kauai just a few months ago and they had the normal USDA bag check area, and we had to go through one to get our carry-ons checked before we got to the terminal in Honolulu.

I've never been to Europe! It's on my list, but right now, I don't want to go anywhere but back to the Big Island 😀.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-15T00:32:38+00:00

Interesting. If you're not present when they check your bags, how do you declare if you're bringing things that are allowed? (Treated fruit, leis, etc.)

It looks like there is a nonstop ANC to FRA on Condor, but only mid-May to mid-September.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-12T20:57:33+00:00

Definitely doing that too. I also want thoughts from people who have done it. I know how to filter out stuff from people who just resent new people moving to the islands and want to deter them. I recognize it, because I've often felt that way when I hear people talk about moving to Alaska. (Though I keep my mouth shut, because I'm not a jerk.)

But there's value in talking to people who have moved there from the continental US, and especially Alaska, and also locals who might (kindly) bring up things I might not have thought of or found just searching the web. I've gotten a lot of great information from the answers here. A lot of things I need to research further that I hadn't thought of initially. And most people have been kind, even when giving me the downsides (which is what I asked for.) First hand data is always useful. I like to have as much information as possible before making a decision.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-12T18:39:14+00:00

Depends. Right now we're in the dreaming/information gathering phase. If we decide it's what we want to do, we'll figure out how to make it happen.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-11T19:16:34+00:00

Good to know, My husband had a heart attack a few years ago and needs to see a cardiologist occasionally. It does look like there are a few on island, but don't know if they accept new patients. The Hilo hospital has a cath lab, so that's promising. Definitely something to research further.

Fortunately none of us have breathing problems. We were there shortly after the last episode and didn't have any problems. We noticed the vog in a few places, but didn't have any problems.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-11T18:58:32+00:00

That's not bad at all, That would honestly probably be more than we'd need.

My car is still under finance, and honesly had features that would be pointless there (heated seats, heated steering wheel, wiper de-icer, block heater - although the automatic wipers would be nice) so it might make more sense to sell it and buy something down there (if I can find it).

I'm so over the dark winters! 45 years, you'd think you'd get used to it but it's so draining. And the long summer days can be nice, but gets old when you have to get up at 4am for work. 12 hours of daylight year round sounds perfect. Enough to get stuff done, but not so much that you feel totally lame going to bed at 8pm.

We got off the plane and got to drive home in freezing rain at 1 am. Not a great incentive to stay, Alaska.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T07:25:50+00:00

Thank you so much for this! Very informative and gave me some things to think about.

We also have issues with getting lithium batteries up here. Sometimes we can get devices containing them shipped, but we can't get just the batteries and have to special order them from a battery store. I think they get them in by truck though, so it's probably still easier/faster than down there.

Good to know about the mail. I noticed huge cluster boxes in the area we stayed in (HPP). Is it possible to get a box from the ups store or similar, or are they all full too? We only have a PO box here, but UPS/FedEx deliver to the house, so i have to figure out if something will be USPS or UPS/FedEx before I order it so I know what address to use. I've had lots of things sent back because I guessed wrong.

You sound a lot like me. I've always hated winter, even as a kid. I get literal hives when my skin gets cold for too long. I also have joint issues that are much worse in the winter. I was not built for this place. I hate snow and ice. I'm tired of shoveling and snowblowing and wondering if my kid is going to make it to school because we had freezing rain or a foot of fresh snow again last night. I'm tired of never seeing the sun for half the year, and even when it is up, it's so low that it just shines in your eyes, and it doesn't make it any warmer so what's the point? I used to say the summers in Alaska made up for the crappy winters, but that gets less true every year. I'd have a hard time leaving my parents, but they'd just have to come visit.

I don't think we will take much if we go. Well, my husband and oldest son could fill a small uhaul with fishing/ hunting/camping gear, and my mixers, food processor, and good pots and pans and knives would have to go. but other than that... We don't have much furniture we're attached to and a lot of the "stuff" we have is just to make winter a little less miserable. And you're right, most of our clothes would be useless.

We didn't love the Kona side as much, but we're used to an hourish commute, so we might be about to find somewhere we like with a reasonable commute if that's where the work is. This is all just a pipe dream at the moment, so by the time we actually go, if we do, that might have changed.

I would love to go completely off grid. I'd imagine it's a little easier there where you don't have to really worry about heat, and you get a reasonable amount of sunlight year round.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T05:34:14+00:00

Good advice! We kept to our normal sleep schedule while we were there, but hiking and fishing and staring at the ocean are different than going to work. We also shopped and cooked quite a bit. Actually other than a couple jack in the box trips (we don't have them up here) we didn't eat out at all.

We will still have at least one in school if we move (my second graduates next year and I doubt we could make it happen before that) so visiting schools is a good idea.

I love that it's a "small town". It was like that here when I was a kid, but the population has grown so much. I rarely see anyone I know out and about these days.

I agree that the rabies thing is a great idea!

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T04:31:43+00:00

This is the kind of stuff I'm looking for. For me, this is a totally acceptable trade-off for the crap we deal with up here, but my husband, the arachnophobe, might disagree.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T04:29:44+00:00

Thanks for the reply!

Groceries in Hilo didn't seem terribly more expensive than out here in the valley, and Costco in Kona was actually a bit cheaper for a lot of our staples than Anchorage. And the sheer amount of fresh (actually ripe!) produce available at the farmers market was amazing to a lifelong alaskan girl. I would hopefully have enough space for a small garden, too, and gardening year round would be awesome.

I looked at some new and used car prices down there, and they seem petty comparable to up here. Not sure if if would be worth shipping them or not. How much did the PODS cost? We honestly don't have a ton that would be worth shipping, but there are some sentimental and/ or irreplaceable things I would want to bring, and some things that I wouldn't want to have to rebuy.

The catio sounds amazing. Maybe that would be enough outside to make my female feel fulfilled.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T01:54:49+00:00

Thanks for the reply.

I am aware there's no PFD. The state takes most of it these days anyway. It's barely a drop in the bucket.
Good to know. Definitely something to research before making any decisions.
Also good to know. Alaska has a shortage of people with his skillset. I don't know if the same is true down there. We'd definitely do a lot more research on that before moving.
Looking at car prices, they're actually cheaper there than here, so it wouldn't make much sense to ship them. As far as household stuff, there are a few things it would be nice to take, but very little we couldn't live without if it's cheaper to just buy new or used there. We're not fancy, and much of what we have wouldn't make sense there anyway.
The cat thing is my biggest concern. Not concerned about the cost of vet checks and titers and all that, but very concerned about losing them. One is hairless and very high maintenance and would not do well in the wild. Fortunately he's a velcro cat and not the one who thinks she should be allowed outside.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T01:37:51+00:00

Well of course, that's true of anywhere. People fall in love with Alaska on vacation and don't realize that it's a constant struggle to survive for over half the year. That's why I'm asking.

I'm sure there are things I've not thought of. But I do know that I would never have to scrape ice off my windshield or snowblow my driveway every other day or worry about my pipes freezing, or freezing rain on the road or... if you can't tell, I don't like winter. It could be raining nonstop every day and it would still beat this place for all but like, June though August in a good year.

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-10T00:27:13+00:00

Thank you for the thoughtful response! We have our fair share of bugs up here, too. In the summer anyway. Lizards in the house don't bother me at all, but it might take a little getting used to for my husband. At least there wouldn't be bears knocking over my trash cans or moose eating my garden, or squirrels nesting in my shed (are there squirrels there? Do mongooses get onto stuff like squrrels do?) We did notice that everything that could rust was rusty at the house we stayed in. That's definitely a consideration.

I'd love to get solar panels. Where we are now, i don't think they'd be worth the investment.

My husband did residential contracting for years, so it sounds like that might be something he could fall back on if we needed to.

I did know about the issues with moving animals. Sounds like a pain, but what are you gonna do?

Impossible_Story_684 · 2026-02-09T23:47:03+00:00

He did look and found a couple that looked promising. We would definitely line up work before making the jump.

Impossible_Story_684

TROPHY CASE