Crazy Sailors and Cat litter

We have been settling into Adak life fairly well. Cassidy has picked up without missing a beat in taking care of two children on the island. She is exploring preschool options, but everything is in the discussion phase right now. We have seen about as much of the island as we can by car (which is to say about 1/3 of the island. It is seriously breathtaking in most areas and seriously depressing in others. The depressing part is the town of Adak, which the US government abandoned faster than Oprah abandoned the South Beach diet. It just warms my eart to see multi million dollar dorms (barracks) that have never been occupied. Evidenced specifically by the appliances that remain in the boxes. This pales in comparison to the millions and millions of dollars in heavy equipment that is now completely rusted where it had been left. I am convinced that our healthcare problem would not be such a financial burden if it were not for the Adak Naval Air Station and the billions of tax dollars wasted here.
I am happy to say that we have met some people. Bill (Whom I have nick-named 'Barnacle Bill The Sailor')took us on a tour of the island this morning. Bill was stationed in Adak from 1968-1973 in the Navy and worked on the nuclear weapons that were manufactured and stored here. Bill loved it so much that he comes back every year for a couple of months to hunt, fish, and flirt. Bill leaves his wife in Tennessee while he is up here because she is finishing college. If this part of the story is starting to sound like an inspiration to those who want to return to school, it should be noted that his wife is of the traditional appropriate age to be finishing her higher education. Although Bill has retired from two careers, it appears that his wife is embarking on her first. It should also be noted that Bill was and forever will be madly in love with his first wife that, sadly, died of cancer. I believe Bill just feels like he will never love again, so why not just have a whole hell of a lot of fun instead.
Bill talks like...well...a sailor. The Navy definitely left a permanent mark on his vocabulary. Nevertheless, the guided tour was as informative as it was entertaining.
In small town fashion, Cassidy is preparing for 'Ladies Craft Night' at the community center. Cassidy is preparing to gather as much intelligence about the people on this island while providing as little as possible about us. She has refused to go with my plan to lead everyone to believe we are in the witness protection program for turning in a video of some gang members lighting mailboxes on fire.
Isabel LOVES the beach. We spent about an hour at the beach today. It was a high of 45 degrees and the wind was blowing more than Monica Lewinski on inauguration day. We are planning on waiting this out and for her to tell us that it is too cold for the beach. My fear is that we will be walking on icebergs on a daily basis.
Isabel adores the two student teachers that live next door. Mia (from Denmark) and Sanne (pronounced Sauna, from The Netherlands). They are leaving before Christmas and we are bracing ourselves for what is sure to be a heartbreaking moment.
That is about it. Tomorrow is a big day. Mail!! When it is only delivered twice a week, it is very exciting. We are expecting some kitty litter. This may seem trivial to most, but considering a small bag of kitty litter runs at the low price of $22.99 here on the island, it is worth looking forward to.
I must now sit through another riveting episode of Sex and the City. I just can't get enough of those crazy New Yorkers and there premiscuous lifestyles. How much do I love my wife???