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Sometimes life can be so strange. You think about a cousin you haven’t talked to in five years, and 10 minutes later she calls. Or one day you talk about something unusual — say biscotti — and the next day, out of the blue, someone brings you a box.

The most recent occurrence of this happened to me last week. I read in Dermot Cole’s column one day about the balloonist from Ireland who was in Alaska to set a world record, and a few days later I was gazing up at her while she was floating next to Santa Claus House.

Despite having cold feet and colder hands, this was one of the most delightful interviews I’ve ever taken part in. Pauline Baker and her crew were at Santa Claus House because the weather in Alaska wasn’t cooperating to set any sort of a world record. She decided she was going to do a bit of ballooning anyway and chose North Pole as the setting.

Baker and her partner, Malcolm White, were accompanied by two certification officials from Italy, so it made sense to at least fill the things with air and launch them — even if it was just to get a photographic record of ballooning above Santa’s favorite hangout.

Pauline Baker, who is very tiny and has a delightful Irish accent and a warm personality, started ballooning in 2004. By 2005, she had smashed two altitude records that had been set some 30 years earlier and became the first person to set a world record in Ireland for manned flying. She holds eight records.  Baker hoped to set three world altitude records while in Alaska, including breaking the record of 35,500 feet by ascending to a lofty 36,000 feet. This record is held by a man.

“I reckon if a guy can do it, a girl can,” she said.

The temperature window to achieve a high altitude is tiny — from 5 below to 5 above, a mere 10 degrees. No matter where they went in Alaska, the weather was too good. In North Pole, it was in the high 30s.

I’ve never taken part in a balloon launching, but what took place Saturday in the Santa Claus House parking lot was downright exciting.

The ground crew, besides Malcolm, consisted of balloon enthusiasts Bill Berg, Matt and Loretta Anderson, Sue Hazlett and Marge and Stan Zielinski.

Stan Zielinski is no stranger to being in the air and has more than 500 jumps under his belt as a parachutist. In 1966, he took over for Bill Berry operating a balloon ride at what is now known as Pioneer Park.

Sue Hazlett also has a bit of off-the-ground notoriety as a balloonist. Some 30 years ago, she held the women’s world altitude record.

Matt Anderson has flown balloons in Europe, Kenya, Burma and other places.

Also helping with the North Pole launch were Paulo and Nicole Bonnanno, the couple from Italy who came to officially certify Pauline Baker’s historic flight.   Baker explained that the Bonnannos work for an agency which is similar to the Federal Aviation Agency but deals with international flights. They have traveled the world certifying balloon activities.

Pauline Baker aside, the true star of the show was the balloon she uses. It’s the smallest official balloon in the world, and when she bought it the balloon already had a record for altitude. Baker calls her balloon “a bubble” and, indeed, compared to what you see floating through the skies around here in the summer, it isn’t much bigger than a bubble.

Made of Mylar and light and filmy to the touch, the tiny silvery balloon uses just 9,000 cubic feet of hot air, compared to about 105,000 cubic feet in a recreational balloon and 260,000 in a balloon that carries several passengers. The “bubble” weighs in at a mere 20 pounds, while a normal balloon is around 250 pounds.

Because it’s so tiny, Baker’s balloon can scoot toward the heavens at 500-600 feet per minute. Descending, she said, is much quicker and she drops about 1,000 feet a minute until she slows down about 2,000 feet from the ground.

Pauline doesn’t use a basket for her altitude flights but straps herself into a harness contraption that is much like a baby’s Johnny-Jump-Up seat. The harness is hooked to a titanium propane tank that is almost as big as she is. Since it is around 60 below at 30,000 feet, when she goes for the altitude she wears a down jumpsuit.

So, do you wear a parachute, I asked? Of course not!

In fact, she said, since it’s just her and a propane tank breathing fire into the balloon, she doesn’t even carry a transponder. This means she needs to be accompanied by the spotter balloon that relays her location and navigational information.

On this day at Santa Claus House, there were no altitude records set. Instead, Baker in her small balloon and Paulo Bonnanno in the larger balloon floated along, taking in the Santa sights from an angle that probably no else has enjoyed. Tethered and guided by the ground crew, they floated near the top of Santa Claus House, next to the reindeer and ventured close to the big Santa statue.

At one point, Pauline Baker placed her feet on Santa’s head and peered over his shoulder at the list in his hands. When I called up to ask if her name was on good side, she assured me it was.

On the ground, she seemed pleased with her short jaunt around Santa Claus House and her visit. “At least I can say I’ve flown at the North Pole,” she said.

I’d say that is really quite a record.

Easter brunch

Santa’s Seniors will host their annual Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23 at the Senior Center, 101 East Fifth Ave.

Admission for adults is $8 and children 6 and under is $4. For more information, call 488-4663.

Garage sale

Santa’s Seniors are holding their “Garage Sale for Garage Sale Connoisseurs” at the Senior Center on Fifth Avenue on March 28 from noon to 6 p.m. and March 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tables are available for $15 for a day or $25 for both days. In addition, they will offer lunch and have a bake sale. Information: 488-4663.

Transition night

The annual Eighth Grade Transition Night will start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with a program at 7 p.m. The great title for this year’s event is: “My Future’s so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.”

“This will be a fun and informative evening including an opportunity to meet staff members, preview elective classes, be introduced to clubs, athletic opportunities and receive school tours,” said Patricia Jacobson of the counseling department.

Information: Patricia Jacobson at 488-3761 ext. 9273 or pjacobson@norhtstar.k12.ak.us.

And finally ...

As the absent minded fellow was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him, “Herman, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!”

“Heck,” Herman said, “it’s not just one car. It’s hundreds of them!”