Yikes!
After living in Fairbanks for 21 months, we finally qualified for base quarters at Eielson AFB,
30 miles south of town.
The housing units were comprised of U-shaped eightplexes, around a central parking area with a double line of posts with electrical outlets for each vehicle.
The purpose of this was to plug into them the circulating heater on your engine, so it would not freeze up in the subzero temperatures, and, hopefully, start.
True Story
One family arrived on our court from the Lower 48, the father of a high enough rank to get quarters immediately, moving in during the winter.
His small son asked him, "Daddy - why are the cars here tied up to hitching posts?"!!
Fast Forward to November 1965 when both my husband and the one next door were off on a day when our children were in school.
Aware of the ugly "I'm Bored Mode" steadily brewing, not content to watch soap operas or play another game of cards, astute wifey (me) had a flash of brilliance.
"Hey, guys! With that enormous playground in our "back yard" (ringed by other groups of eightplexes), why don't we create our own skating rink by our unit?"
It was staying at least 10 below zero most days, with lots of snow on the ground, and I theorized all we had to do was shovel snow into a perimeter bank about a foot high, wet it down, and we'd have a solid as concrete retaining wall - then spray a few layers of water in the center that would freeze in no time.
"Wow!" they exclaimed. "Great idea, and we can all check out skates from Special Services and teach the kids how to skate!"
Putting on long johns and several layers of clothing, plus parka with hood, mufflers and heavy gloves, they hit Challenge #1.
Other husband: "Uh oh - the outside faucet is frozen solid, and therefore the water will not flow."
My husband: "No problem. I have railroad flares in my car to put out if it breaks down, and lighting one of those suckers should sufficiently thaw it."
It took us a couple of days to get it 'Just Right,' nearly the length of the whole eightplex, and each now dark afternoon, all eight units turned their back porch lights on for illumination, and had at the ready vats of hot chocolate, with marshmallows to top each mug.
The Evening Ritual became children skated until 7 p.m., and then the adults took over!
It soon was the talk of the base. It soon, also, however, sparked the competitive spirit of a unit two groups over, on the side of our playground.
One husband there was a fireman. Yep - he had their fire truck come to fill their rink in no time at all, not having to stand out there, as we did, freezing with a hose in hand..:(
(Down with one-upmanship)
My Next Bright Idea to Overcome Cabin Fever:
"Let's have everyone on our court round up our families and drive out to the Base Ski Slope and let the children (and us grownups) sled on the Bunny Slope!"
Instant Convoy formed.
Again, took hot dogs, buns and munchies and brownies and vats of hot chocolate and portable grills....gleefully went up and down the gradual slopes.
You thinking ahead of me here?
Boys will be boys?!!
"Why don't we try sledding on the regular ski slope?" said one Macho Man, and up went the fellas.
That sounded like a great idea for them, until I was slathering mustard on my hot dog and looked up to see MY SONS (then 10 and 11) HURTLING DOWN THE SLOPE, gathering speed up to about 70 mph.....
The LadyX turned grey-haired early, but no bones were broken..:)) =============================================================== The winter of '65-'66 was extremely cold. So much so that the base's supply of coal to generate steam heat for all the buildings was dwindling down at an alarming rate.
It was decided at Christmas if it did not 'warm up' some shortly, it would become necessary to fly to bases in the Northwest Lower 48 all the wives and children, grouping the men together on base to have enough coal to last.
Can you imagine how we felt about that? Get outside to CIVILIZATION! after enduring the challenges up there for so long?!!
Be somewhere with CURRENT TELEVISION - not shipped in cans 3 weeks later to Fairbanks (after Juneau and Anchorage had them) - and thus NEVER, NEVER having in depth news programs?!
The local paper had no national news, dwelling on state and local news. The highlight was the Fairbanks Police Blotter that often contained items like "Mrs. McGillicuddy had a moose wander through her front yard on Friday."
[Oh, how I could have used the Internet then!]
It was terribly disappointing when the weather moderated for a few weeks, and a sufficient amount of coal was shipped in and we still were captive.
As Spring came and our orders for assignment to the Lower 48 states was imminent, I had a conversation with God.
"Lord, You know I've been patient and cheerful these 3 1/2 years, and I'd surely appreciate it if You would send us to a place with a semi-moderate climate. If You will, I promise to never complain about the weather again!"
HE LISTENS and HEARS and ANSWERS!!
Our orders came for Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina, right across the highway from a State Park by the Atlantic Ocean, and base quarters were available at once!
This is why to this day I do not dare complain about the weather....