Well, well, well....
Where to start? First off, yes, I'm alive and well. Thanks to those of you who sent emails and notes checking up on me. That was very thoughtful and kind of you. If you ever want the quilter warm and fuzzies, just fall off the face of the planet for a couple months, and they'll come find you. That's the wonderful thing about the blogging world - all the wonderful people you meet who become friends. I am so blessed.
Secondly, the last two months have been a blur. Like lightning! I'll try to sum it up best I can, but really, it's exhausting just thinking of it. Labor Day weekend, we made a whirlwind trip to Southern California for Keith to run the half-marathon at Disneyland. And by whirlwind, I mean we flew in Friday night, spent Saturday at Disneyland, he ran Sunday morning at six and by eleven, we were checked out of our hotel and back at the airport on the way home to Alaska. He did the Coast to Coast Challenge, where you run races at both Disney Parks in the same year. And then you get a special THIRD medal! Yay! So last January, he ran the full marathon in Disney World, and then this September he did the half at Disneyland. Here's his finisher's medal for the 5th Anniversary of the half at Disneyland and then his Coast to Coast medal.
It was a hundred degrees when we got to Disneyland, which is really hot for two little Alaskans. We thought we'd died and gone to Hell for sure. We kept riding Splash Mountain to keep wet and cool off. But that didn't stop us from having a blast. It was a fast weekend, but a perfect little getaway from all the craziness the summer brings in Skagway.
The 2010 tourist season ended with a snowy bang. Buses got stranded on the highway, tour drivers abandoned their tours and loaded everyone up on the trains to return to town. It was all very exciting. This is not a usual event for Skagway, even in September. Sure, we get snow by then, but it very politely stays on the side of the highway and doesn't interfere with The World of Tourism. This year, the snow was of a more rude nature and threw everyone for a frenzied loop. I love it! This is Alaska!
But before the snow hit, we had a wonderful Indian Summer (is that PC? Should I call it a Native American summer?) August and September were warm and sunny and perfect for getting some last-minute hikes in. My favorite was a schlep up to Fraser lake with my friend Jo. Lots of bears in that area, so we borrowed some dog friends from Canadian Customs. The view from the top was gorgeous. This quite possibly could become one of my new favorite places in BC. I don't fancy myself a camper, but I could see myself hauling a tent up here and enjoying the view for a weekend.
But the icing on the cake was when a dear friend from Oklahoma showed up on the loading platform one day with a surprise hello! Susan and I worked together about eight years ago when she and her husband used to spend their summers in Skagway. We've kept in touch, but hadn't seen each other in several years, so this was a special treat. They were here celebrating their 50th Anniversary!
Alright....that's about it for today. Coming soon: Utah! And a tour of one of my favorite quilt shops. (again)
