First, I literally receive hundreds of e-mail messages every day.  It is possible that your message got thrown out with the trash.

Spamcop filters my e-mail.  Suspected spam is stored in a held-mail folder.  I don't open every message.  If the from field is a bunch of letters and numbers, I will probably delete it unread.

Other e-mail is deleted unread if the subject has anything to do with
• obtaining a diploma
• buying property
• applying for a mortgage
• purchasing a pharmaceutical
• online dating
• or enlarging a body part

I even delete the messages that offer a way to manage spam.  Imagine that!  Spam about too much spam.

To prevent your message from appearing to be spam, please use a meaningful subject line.  If your message came as an attachment, I will open the e-mail but not the attachment.

Second, I do have a life outside of the computer.  I may be busy with other things.  Even with the best of intentions, I don't always have time to answer all my mail.

Lastly, I may have started the reply and the message is in my to do queue.  Be patient.  I usually answer sincere requests for information.

Just so you know:  If your e-mail message has the subject, "hi", and it is spam, I will report it to spamcop. Just so you know.

In the meantime, search my site.  Your question may have already been answered.

Read my blogs.  I usually will write what is going on in my Dear Friends blog.

If your question is about Alaska, check out Alaska Living at Yahoo groups.

If your question is about wheat-free cooking or coping, check out Wheat-free Living at Yahoo groups.  You will have to join this group to read the messages since the archives are for members only.

If you are a member of one of my groups, please put "offlist" in the subject line.  I read those messages before the others.

If you are a member of my family, you can read my excuses here.

I have lived in Fairbanks since 1967; so, I have seen a lot of different weather in October.  Although there is no way to predict what will happen this October, here are a few guidelines.

Juneau weather is much warmer than Fairbanks.  You are more likely to need rain gear there than winter gear.  Anchorage is between the two.  Our last few winters have been especially mild, and Anchorage didn't get snow until December.  If you are going to Barrow, well, it is still snowing there the first week of June.  :)

Valdez, Seward, Homer, Cordova, Juneau, and Ketchikan can be windy and rainy.  Anchorage and Valdez can have huge amounts of snow drop overnight.  Fairbanks gets the coldest weather, but has the stillest air.  In Anchorage, I need lighter-weight clothes, but more layers to stay warm because of the wind.

Footwear:

Bring boots.  More than likely we'll have snow on the ground.  I've seen the first snow arrive as late as the middle of November and as early as the middle of September.  However, the ground is usually well covered by October 20.  I wear fleece-lined leather boots that extend to my knee.  Mukluks are not a good idea in October because it is too warm.  Men can wear overshoes.

For errands and quick trips between the car and stores, I wear leather athletic shoes and wool socks most of the winter.  The rubber bottoms give me good traction on slippery sidewalks and the sides are high enough to keep out a few inches of snow.

Otherwise, I wear leather boots from October until March.  Dress shoes or high heels I carry with me in a bag and change into them when I reach my destination.

Whether you choose to wear your boots or not, always bring them with you in the car.  You never know when something unexpected will come up, and you will have to walk outside.

Outerwear:

A parka is not a necessity in October, but if you have one bring it.  You won't need a wardrobe of coats here.  Dressing for warmth is the norm, and people don't expect you to look like a fashionplate when it is cold outside.  Otherwise, bring a wool or insulated coat that covers as much as your body as possible.  Down is not a necessity in October.

Bring a hat.  I wear a hat all winter from the time I leave the house until I return.  I have a simulated fur hat made out of some sort of petroleum product.  Even though the hat doesn't cover my ears, it does the job.  I have a felt hat that has an attached scarf on each side that I can tie under my chin.  That works well in colder weather.  At the least, bring a knitted beret or tam.  If you wear wigs, they work great as a hat in the winter, although you may get a little warm inside buildings.

Bring dress gloves for driving, a smooth unlined pair of leather gloves are my first choice.  Then bring mittens to wear over the gloves if you must be outside for any length of time.  If you wear the hat, though, you'd be surprised how warm your hands will be.

Bring a knitted scarf.  You need something to cover your neck from where your hat leaves off and your coat's collar begins.  Even if you wear a hooded - parka (which takes care of your neck area), a scarf is also used to put over your nose and mouth.  You can breath through it to avoid breathing cold air directly.

Wardrobe:

Layering keeps you warm.  Men wear long underwear during the winter, at least the bottoms.  Silk makes for a very warm undergarment.  I often wear my summer cotton tank tops as camisoles in the winter. Then add a long-sleeve shirt or blouse, a vest, then a sweater or suit coat.  Wool is the warmest.

Pants or slacks are accepted at any occasion.  Denim jeans are popular for casual wear.  A-line wool skirts are nice.  When it is really cold, I can wear long underwear that is not visible because my skirt touches the top of my boots.  I love Pendleton wools suits for winter.

A note about plastic:

In cold weather plastic gets stiff and cracks easily.  Rubber and leather work better.  If you can't afford a leather purse or briefcase, then a cloth or canvas one would be a better choice than plastic.  The same can be said for coats, hats, shoes, and boots.  In our coldest weather, I've seen a plastic flowerpot shatter like a lightbulb.

Visiting a coastal area:

An umbrella and raincoat will be needed if you are visiting the southern portions of the state.  You don't need these two items in Fairbanks, and most likely not in Anchorage either.

Alaska Shopping:

• Anchorage has lots of stores, and in October you should be able to buy any extra clothing you need.
• Fairbanks has a Sears, a Gottshalks, and a Fred Meyer (similar to Walmart).
• It has been awhile since I've been to Juneau, but since the capitol is there, I would guess the stores are well-stocked.
• If you are going to Ketchikan, the weather should be similar to what you are having in Pennsylvania, plus lots of rain.
• If you are visiting smaller towns or villages, your shopping opportunities will be quite limited.

More Information:

We have a group of people who like to talk about Alaska living.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alaska-Living/ You don't need to join to read the messages, but if you want to post a question or comment, send a blank e-mail to Alaska-Living-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

You can also check out the October monthly diary pages on this site.

• You must be a resident to apply.
• You must intend to remain in Alaska.
• You must either be in Alaska at the time or away on an allowable absence.
• You must have been in Alaska sometime during the application period for a minimum of 72 consecutive hours sometime during the previous two calendar years.

If we were arriving in July of 2004, when would we need to apply?

If the program continues as it was in 2003, your first application would be in January of 2006.

The applications are available on January 1st of each year, and the deadline this past year was March 31.  The names and mailing addresses of applicants are a public record.

When would we receive a payment?

Unless the deadline is changed, next year the applications will be due on March 31, 2004, and the dividends will begin distribution in October, 2004.

So, if you qualify in January 2006, then your first check would arrive sometime after October 1, 2006.  Applicants who have chosen direct deposit will receive their money on the first day.  Those who request a check be mailed will receive theirs in the order of application.  If you waited until the deadline to mail in your application, then your check may not be received for several weeks after the beginning of the PFD's distribution.

What documents must I supply with the application?

A first time applicant for a PFD must supply a certified birth certificate unless born in Alaska before September 1 of the residency year.

What questions will I be asked?

Here are some of the questions asked on the the 2003 supplemental schedule for applicants who did not receive a prior year's dividend.

Part A

1. When did your most recent Alaska residency begin? (Month) (Day) (year)
2. Residency ties to Alaska. Photocopies are okay. Documentation will not be returned.
A. I moved my household belongings to Alaska in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)
B. I purchased or leased or rented a place to live in Alaska in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)
C. I obtained permanent employment in Alaska in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)
Employer's Name
Daytime Telephone Number
Employer Address
D. I registred to vote in Alaska in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)
E. I obtained an Alaska driver's license or ID in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation) (ID or License #)
F. I registered a vehicle in Alaska in (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)(Plate)
G. Other (write in) (example: utility receipts, bank accounts) (Month) (Year) (attach documentation)

3. Certified Birth Certificate, passport, or naturalization papers (no photocopies accepted) will be returned if you enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Part B and C are required for those who were absent from Alaska for more than 90 days in the calendar year of 2002.

Part B

Part B asks questions about your current residency. Are you out of Alaska? Are you married?

6A "Have you maintained your principal home or stored the majority of your household belongings in Alaska continuously since December 31, 2001?"

Part C

7. At any time since December 31, 2001 have you maintained your principal home out of Alaska, claimed residency in another state or country in your employment records, including a leave earnings statement if you are a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, engaged in activities in another state as a resident, such as making a will, getting divorced, having a driver's, hunting or fishing license, owned a vehicle, voted, or any other benefits obtained by establishing or maintaining a residency in another state.

You will not be here in time to apply for the 2004 dividend, and Question 6A probably disqualifies you for the 2005 dividend. Of course, I do not know what the 2005 dividend application is going to have as questions. Some of the questions on this year's form weren't on previous year's applications.

Each year on my October diary page, I put the amount of the Permanent Fund Dividend.

You may be able to download a dividend application as a PDF file from the State of Alaska website.  A link to the PFD program's site is on my October diary page.

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska.  You'll find most activities, shops, and services that are available in any metropolitan area of its size and then some. 

Recreation

Anchorage has public parks, swimming pools, recreation centers, camping, fishing, hiking trails, bicycle paths, libraries, malls, fast-food and gourmet restaurants, nightclubs, and movie theaters.  You can watch major sports events, concerts, and top entertainers.  There's an opera house, museums, and cultural events.  Winter sports are abundant.