Friday and Saturday ... of last week

G & G did some touristy things during the week.

They went to the Transportation Museum, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Tsunami Warning Center, got the oil changed in the car and never managed the haircut.

Friday evening we took several cars and headed south. The gals several hours behind the guys. The guys hit the Kenai River and started fishing. We didn't get there until after midnight. After they were done fishing, we drove to Ninilchik to set up a tent or two and sleep for a few hours. G & G slept in the vehicles, I have never been so glad to stretch out in a tent. Couldn't quite believe it myself.

In the morning 4 of the group left for a halibut charter, my car load plus Jari headed to spend the afternoon in Homer.

Breakfast at the Caribou Family Restaurant ....

and then on to Ulmer's.

I didn't realize that the store front would have signs for all the things this "hardware" store holds. The back corner is chalk full of fabric. Yummy fabric. In towns where Walmarts and Targets don't exist, the hardware store is one stop shopping for everything.

On down to the Homer Spit.

Anna S was with us for the excursion. Super fun to have her along.

Artwork galore with plenty of shops to browse through ...  

and a great coffee shop when you're ready to just sit a spell.

Down to the waters edge to see if we could score a starfish ... which we did!

I was plumb out of starfish and needed another one.

We found many rocks for Grandma's Grandchildren Rock Garden.

This bell tolls for all the souls set free upon the sea.

It was a breezy day in Homer, but the sun was shining and the weather warm.

We didn't have time to get everything in.

Some of it must wait for the next trip to Homer.

Fred texted us that they were on their way in from fishing and we sort of

flew down there with the hope of seeing them come in.

We made it!

The halibut were small, but they got some!

Amber probably won't appreciate this photo, but she knows it exists. :)

Someday this child will tell his/her siblings that he/she got to go on a halibut charter!

At least if he/she is anything like my own!

The filleting of delicious fish!

Jari spent the afternoon with us in Homer. He sat in the car and tied hooks so we

could head out fishing again after the halibut charter was over.

Good guy, eh?

After the fish was in the cooler, it was back to the Kenai River again.

For those of you who don't live here and have no clue what kind of travel I'm talking about ....

 4 hours from my house to the Kenai River.

45 minutes further driving to Ninilchik where we slept and the charter left from.

45 minutes further driving to Homer.

We drive a lot here.

Fishing season means sitting on your tookus in the car seat.

We did hit the Kenai River and my camera stayed in the car.

I caught salmon.

That would be a major accomplishment for this gal.

I don't catch fish ... as a general rule.

Amber was my fish netter and I learned something Saturday.

I love the net.

It sure beats the dickens out of backing up on shore, slipping and sliding on slippery

rocks ... just knowing you're about to plop down sitting.

Unless your helper is wearing shorty rubber boots and then she's soaked!

The laughing was worth nearly peeing our pants.

We fished for several hours and then headed home.

Made it home about midnight Saturday night!

Is it any wonder Mom didn't feel good on Sunday?!

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Today I am finding it hard to believe that this excursion was only a week ago.
Jari went to Phoenix last night.
He's sweltering and I'm thinking about putting on a sweatshirt at the moment.
The sun of the morning has gone into hiding this afternoon and
the porch is a whopping 63F.
Blanket weather to be sure!

Thursday evening at Jim's Creek.

I am quite certain that I am right.

My mom will never consent to that drive again.

The one into Jim's Creek.

I think we told her it was a bit bumpy.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I should have had the camcorder on while we drove in.

I did video the drive out. The drive in would have been priceless.

I hope she agrees with me that all the bouncing is worth it.





Shane, Liz and family with more family joined us out there.

 Aaron with Kedric, Liz with Koltar, Tia

Jade helping Daddy fish.

She enjoyed being out there, even if her brothers were a little less than impressed.

My friend Kelsey.



Someone managed to have a four wheeling accident while we were out there

and were flown out by chopper.

(Tia and the boys went to look. Not me.)

The transport rig is a bit interesting, hey?



Grandma wasn't doing any fishing.

She worked on her handwork in the truck and bopped out to snap a few photos.

Grandpa had that line in the water ....

his son-in-law looked for fish ripples ....

his daughter fished.



Hmph. This fishing thing. It gives us pictures of our backsides and not much else!

In any event, I could stand out there just tossing a fishing line until the embers are nearly gone ....

 and sunlight has left the water.

So beautiful is this nature that God has created for us.

Maybe the drive isn't so bad.

Grandma made it out with a full bladder after all.

Watching the salmon run.

Monday evening Jari led us down to Fish Creek to watch the salmon run.

It is just one of so many streams in Alaska running with salmon at this time of year.

We attempted dipnetting here as a family several years ago, but I've never seen the fish running up the stream.

We are easily entertained!

Continuous splashes coming up and we counted ... over and over again.

That evening, I think something like 14,000 salmon went up the creek.

We were seriously wishing for that bale counter thing!

Hi there hon!

After a trip down to the creek bank, climbing over guard rails was a bit challenging,

new knee or not!

It was worth the trip. Some very red salmon ... hoards of them!

Monday evening we went without Grandpa's camcorder.

Tuesday evening we went back again.

This time the fish were lower down the stream.

Grandma & I stayed with the car while the others tromped down to catch video.

Back to the bridge again .... 

Fireweed in full bloom.

Evidence of bears' recent fishing as well.

I think we got enough photos and video to last a while!

**********************

Tuesday also included a trip to the hospital for an MRA for Jari.

He had been having some serious headaches, fuzzy vision and symptoms that sounded

to me like impending stroke.

A doctors visit on Monday got us an order for what we needed.

Grandpa brought Jari for the exam which turned out just fine.

Might have been musculature in nature.

Maybe too much fishing? Either way, we're quite relieved.

Blood supply is flowing freely to the brain.

In the meantime, I managed to print off Durable Medical Power of Attorneys for both of us and Living Wills. They are half done. We need to complete them and get them notarized. Doesn't hurt to have them done in any event.

I tried to make it a family activity and have all of us do them.

That didn't work out very well.

Eye exam next on the list for Jari.

*************

Thursday evening update on the house sale.
I'm starting to feel like I'm writing a time warp novel.
At least this is only from week to week not year to year!
We were suppose to close on the house this week.
We didn't.
It is now scheduled for the 23rd of August.
Looks like we're back to the Wing It Plan.
Am trying real hard to remember that
Man plans and God decides.

It has been a very busy week.

I'm back.

Mom and Dad left this morning.

We probably did a little too much running and little resting.

Mom has a way of catching little lung bugs easily and ended up feeling

very punky on Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend.

A visit to the clinic yesterday morning, some antibiotics, another day of rest ....

and today they are off to Skagway and then working their way back home.

Sure was fun to have them!

I didn't take a camera absolutely everywhere we went and I did work 40 hours last week, so they went places without me as well.

It will take a few days, it will be photo heavy but I'll share!

A visit to the old Matanuska Townsite on Monday.

" .... and over there ...."

 Note the hospital visible in the background.

Buildings long ignored and forgotten. I wonder who lived in them and what kind stories those walls could tell.

An eagle perches over the stream.

Our cameras weren't nearly fast enough. We saw several beautiful males in addition to these younger ones.

 I thought that maybe some sort of whirlwind had blown by and dropped some gold colored leaves in my yard. None of the trees seemed to be changing, yet I had loose leaves under the clothesline. Monday brought evidence of the coming of fall.

 Autumn is most definately around the corner.

*************************

We were hoping to close on our house today,

instead we're still waiting on the appraisal.

The nerves are just short of shot.

Wishin' we were fishin'