Aargh and Aaaah

My internet server has been playing havoc with my life. The internet service can be just fine for several moments and then wham! it's gone. Go figure. I thought the previous post had uploaded when I was last on ... guess not!! 

Monday we spent the day in Anchorage exploring a few places. I'll share more on another day. (Another day didn't last long. I just remembered! My internet service stinks. It may be 3 days before I manage more than 2 minutes with access at the rate we're going. Maybe the moose has been chewing the line running through the woods or something.) After a brunch with Jen at the Noisy Goise, we headed into Anchorage. Our goal was to start our explore at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and we did. Someday (but don't hold me to it anytime soon) I'm going to add something to the blog that lists places I highly recommend visitors to Alaska to visit. This would be one of them.  They also offer resident rates. Gotta love it.

By we, I mean Anna, Tia, Jen and I. My girls weren't too thrilled with the Center. They heard Anchorage and thought I said shopping. Sort of sounds the same, doesn't it? They were certainly troopers though ... and I think they learned some valuable things they'll carry with them. Aren't they just the purtiest ever?

My sister Jen. She is something else I tell you. She flew in on Thursday, picked up a rental car and headed for Fairbanks and North Pole. She has seen more things in this state, I think, than I have. I have yet to make it to Fairbanks and will ask her to give me a "must visit" list when I finally do go! The Native Heritage Center has Village Sites set up around the lake that you can tour, each set with a humanoid who explains and answers questions. Awesome setup!

                                   

                                  

From there we headed for the Ulu Factory, taking a route that could have been more direct, but what the heck. Was fun. I haven't seen Ship Creek before ... couldn't you just get into fishing bening serenaded by guitar music?!

                   

We were driving 2 cars. The rental car. My car. Yes, I really did say mine. The big boys were out hunting ... the medium boys were home or working ... and the big girl was at the fair. I was leading my youngest sister on a wild goose chase through Anchorage. We did see some amazing architecture ... many stoplights ... a few where I had to pull over and wait on the other side because I wasn't so good at paying attention to whether it was turning red or not. We had a few minutes to fill. Not enough to run to Turnagain Arm, but enough to find a Subway (now I know there is one close to the airport ... not the one we found!) and head over to Lake Hood. It was a Lesson in Practicing Catching Reflections Day. Maybe not a lesson. We had no teacher. Thank goodness we had plenty of airplanes!

                  

Jen was here on a $34 (correct me if I'm wrong) ticket from being bumped on a flight Iditarod weekend. She was first on the list for another bump on the way home ... but missed it. :( Caught the flight and is winging her way to the great state of lakes and mosquitos. Super fun weekend ... today I'll take a nap after work. Work?! I probably should head there. But first .... I found another one. The greenery (or reddery) isn't as clear as I'd like, but I didn't haul a tripod along with me.

                                 

Have a wonderful week! Take time to explore the marvelous world around you.