Sunday June 29, 2008

What an amazing day today! If you ever get a chance to come to Alaska, do it! Stunningly beautiful scenery awaits you and seems to get better with each bend in the road. Today we packed up and headed for Valdez, on another shoreline of Alaska. Of course, the usual potty stops are mandatory, and you never know what is behind the doors of any café you pass along these remote roads. “Eureka Lodge” was one, at mile 128 on the Glenn Hwy. Watch the blog video I took of this unique place, where all of the animals you see were trophies that a member of the Fimpel family bagged, going back three generations to the thirties. People out here are super friendly and lookout for one another. This café/bar is the meeting place for all the locals, who call in via snowmobile in the winter months. We had lunch, consisting of chicken soup, sourdough toast and 25 cent coffee. No kidding, still 25 cents here and will stay that way.
Just a few miles down the highway, our guy who had the bike trouble yesterday, discovered what the real problem was… a separating rear tire with a big bulge in it. With 8 guys around, the problem got a bandaid fix & we made it down the road to another little café, that just happened to have cinnamon buns fresh from the oven. Here, the boys decided to puncture the bulge on the tire so onward we went to Valdez!
To get there we travelled through the Thompson Pass….breathtakingly gorgeous! No messing around- right up to the Glacier! The pictures will have to tell you what I cannot describe! It’s like a dream land here…pinch me, I must be asleep!

Saturday,June 28, 2008

Well, there ain’t no sunshine today as we set off at 6 C from the Backwoods Lodge. A day to wear all our gear: I’m wearing 6 layers on top! Hehehehe! Lots of room in the bags now! Backtracking 12 miles, we head back to the ‘Perch” to eat breakfast with Leslie and her gang. On the menu today are breakfast burritos, French toast, biscuits & gravy- everything is very tasty.
Off we go to Anchorage. It’s a good thing there isn’t a lot to see with the clouds so low and socked in, because, I’m so bundled up I can’t really turn my head either way to see anything! The only sad thing is, we couldn’t see Mt McKinley, the tallest peak in North America….we did drive right by it though!
One of our guys was having wobble trouble with his new bike, and went on ahead to try & find a Honda dealer. Did you know that our GPS system has all the Honda dealers keyed in? Sneaky, eh? So we came to Palmer, AK and there was a Honda dealer right off the freeway. Wow! They came out to greet us and even had a BBQ going and invited us to eat! By now the sun was shining and peeling off about 4 layers was mandatory! Our guy hadn’t stopped here, even though they could take his bike in right on the spot. Super dealer!
Our room weren’t ready as we arrived a bit too early again, so Ted and a bunch of the fellas are going to check out the local Anchorage Honda dealers close by, and I opted to stay in the lobby and catch up on my email, etc. the place is owned by East Indians and has been redone… pretty snazzy, but not quite finished. Our room is missing baseboards and a thingey that finishes between carpet & flooring.
Anchorage has a 2 day Air Show going on this weekend, so it was a good thing our rooms were prebooked! Traffic was awful…but then we have been travelling rural Alaska for a week and there has been none…literally! Six of us decided to eat down the block at Wendy’s and who should we run into but the Thunderbirds, who are here performing in the Air Show!! Handsome young men to! Eye Candy! It turned out to be a great day after all! J

Friday, June 27, 2008

The day started out sunny & hot. (You must remember that up here the sun shines around the clock, well almost.) So in sunshine and 19 C we left our beautiful Seven Gables mansion and headed for the Denali Park and the snowy mountains. I kept trying to snap a picture or those gorgeous peaks, but the trees kept obliterating the view. And soon, the clouds began to cover them too. (you see where this is going…) By the time we reached the mountains, the temperature had dropped few degrees and we had to stop and put on warm clothing. The temp kept dropping, and it started to drizzle, so we stopped to put on our rain suits. It was now 6 C and pouring as we reached our “Backwoods Lodge.” A litte too early it would seem and our rooms weren’t ready yet, so we tried to find a place to go in and eat. Can you imagine, there wasn’t anything? Twelve miles back-tracked and we came upon a place called the “Perch” and guess what? She only served breakfast and dinner. It would seem that guests eat breakfast and are gone all day and come back for dinner. We stood there dripping in her porch, and someone said, “Well, how much could we bribe you with to make breakfast?” “I can make breakfast!” Her name was Leslie and she, her mother & her son quickly whipped up eggs, hash browns, sausages and toast for us. And she allowed us to hang our wet duds over the vacant chairs in her lovely establishment. What an angel! By about 1:30 the rain had eased a bit and it was time for us to get all dressed up again and head back to the Lodge to check in. I hope everyone left her a big tip, she was such a doll!
Our Backwoods rooms are huge and come complete with a kitchen: fridge, microwave, dishes, etc. The plan is to BBQ on the porch later. Apparently the office here is a mini store with little steaks and all. I’m still full from Leslies’s so they can BBQ all they want.
What a day! I suppose the White Water Rafting excursion is out for today….LOL!

More pix from Alaska

Thursday June 26, 2008

Today the sun is shining and we are off for Fairbanks, Alaska! This is the most fun I have ever had in my entire life! Not to mention a trip of a lifetime! Surprisingly, the highway here is very straight for miles & miles. The trees line the road and remind us of BC. It’s hot & dry too.
We don’t have a big day of travelling, so have lots of time for stops. It is just gorgeous here…a rest stop area in the trees with flowers everywhere….lots of pretty wildflowers in Alaska. And Pinch bugs. Ted has told all of you the story about pinch bugs, I’m sure.
Later on, needing a leg stretch, we turned into a cool little place called the Knotty Shop. It was a little goldmine of a stop….we had a grand time checking out all the animals…outside made with the knotty wood, and inside, stuffed (taxidermy). All very well done. Picked up a few souveniers too!
Further down the road was North Pole, AK…everything is Christmas here! Even the poles and signs are painted red and white striped…we sent postcards, and even stopped and talked to Santa and Mrs Claus. They told us to make sure we said hello to the reindeer out front too!
Onward to Fairbanks where we will be staying in a grand old mansion (bed & breakfast). The rooms are gorgeous, each one decorated a little differently (some with Jacuzzi tubs). You gather this place has been updated, right? The Hostess recommended that we eat Alaska style at the Salmon Bake. Wow! What a production…all you can eat salmon, halibut, cod or prime rib plus salad bar and cake with bumbleberry sauce. Delicious! The whole things was like entering a mine- you entered a mine shaft, then came outside again for the meal. Lots of antique mine equipment to see on the grounds, as well as a restored paddle-wheeler, old gold rush town, Native arts center and a Follies entertainment venue. Probably was more there, but I’m running out of energy as the day comes to a close. So much to see & do. Wish you were here to enjoy it with us!

Wednesday June 25, 2008

The Top of the World Highway, said to be the most beautiful of them all…. that’s if you love gravel! The North is full of Tall Tales and it was very difficult to get at the truth about the conditions of this highway. We travelled 108 miles to Chicken, AK and much of it was on gravel. Some was hard packed, most a lot of it was loose and some was even wet and mushy! Challenging that’s for sure.
Chicken, AK was a place we were told not to miss. How could anyone miss it after a harrowing trip on gravel to the Top of the World? Cute, though. Chicken gags everywhere, and we lunched at the cutest little place. The cook looked like he had been there forever…but he says 35 years. Very rustic – even had an attack chicken….so vicious it had to be caged! Lucky for us it was asleep when we were there! Guess what we ate? Yep! You guessed it. Chicken soup! They also had fresh deep dish pies on the counter and yummy looking brownies, cinnamon buns, cookies and even sandwiches- not chicken, though.
After lunch we were relieved to be travelling on hard top – even with pot holes- to a little place at the intersection to Fairbanks, Anchorage and Valdez called Tok. Tok’s claim to fame….it’s a crossroad. The boys then all sought out the local car wash – everything and everybody is covered in fine dust. I washed clothes. $3 for a wash and dryers are 5 minutes for a quarter.
Supper reservations were for a place called Fast Eddies, and surprisingly, the food was excellent and not very expensive. Hopefully tonight I will have a little time to catch up on email and get to bed early. Did I mention all this fresh air is really taking its tole- Ted & I are tired and ready for bed by about 8:30pm. Mind you, we have gone through 2 time changes so far.

Tuesday June 24, 2008

How wonderful it was to sleep in until after 8am this morning! Wireless internet is only available in the hotel itself, (we are in a cabin) so I spent all morning updating my blog and fixing my photos, etc. Don’t forget to check out the videos links I have added: “Snowshoe Shufflers” and “Hide the Woody” at the top right. As you will see, we are having fun here in the Yukon!
The day was spent snooping around this whole area; everyone went their own way to see what they would see. I hiked around the town itself, lots of history. This is where the Klondike Gold Rush started! We saw the actual monument where gold was first discovered. And just down the road a modern miner showed us how to pan for gold…and we saw a few flecks in the pan too….about $3 worth. He said he mines about an ounce per hour, but like anything else these days, expenses are also very high. It’s just a business…imagine! He showed us a photo of Sean Connery, who dropped by a couple of summers ago on his Trike…and panned for gold too! Did I mention there are colorful characters here in the Yukon?
Visited Robert W Service’s cabin, and also that of Jack London. And I didn’t know Pierre Burton grew up in Dawson City, did you? I’ll try to figure out how to make a slide show of photos to show you….it is very neat here. The whole town is like walking back to the Gold Rush Days!

Monday June 23, 2008

Who cares if it is a drizzling 6 C this morning as we head out? The sun is shining in Dawson City, so let’s go! Remember, as long as we are warm & dry, it’s a ride! First stop is the Braeburn Lodge, the site of the enormous cinnamon buns. They bake big cookies too! Mmmmmm….smack, smack
There are not a lot of places to stop along the way, so our gas stop didn’t include a lunch spot, so we had to keep going down the road. Good thing, because our lunch experience made our day, maybe even our week! Stewart Crossing’s Whispering Willows was the place , the crowded place….so crowded that one of our couples, just stepped up to the ‘plate’ and took our orders to speed things up a bit. Then they ended up helping to make the lunch as well. Another served, and another operated the till and we all emptied our dishes into the sink! Now, the one thing you have to remember is we are in the Yukon, a land of very colorful people! This isn’t that unusual up here! Bythe way, the sun is shining and the temp is 23 C! Not bad, eh?
Now only 180km to go to Dawson City. Not a lot of traffic on the Klondike Highway…but lots of pot holes…winning pot holes! Mostly fun to dodge but the odd one is hit… whoa! Ready for fun? I need to mention the road construction. We had to stop for about 25 minutes at one point, then advanced on really soft, wet gravel...yikes!
We are staying in little cabins and will be here two nights, giving us a day to explore this tiny little town. Ted wants to hike! *cough, cough* Guess I'll snoop around town!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

The day started out beautifully with sunshine. Many of our gang decided to stay in Whitehorse for a relaxing day of sightseeing and/or laundry. Five bikes started out for Skagway about 10am. The Whitehorse-Skagway trip is a fabulous ride rivaling the Bear Tooth Pass for top prize for most of us. The scenery is breathtaking and the curves, hills, and valleys are any biker’s dream. What a ride! As we reached towards the summit of the White Pass, the temperature dropped to 7 C, with a misty rain. Right about the Canadian Customs, we stopped to don rain gear and heated jackets. Now everything is perfect. I maintain that as long as you remain warm & dry, every trail is enjoyable. From the summit, the road descends from almost 3000 ft to sea level in 14 miles. Awesome!
The sun shone again in Skagway, but it remained cool. The town is very busy with lots of shoppers. Ted and I carried on with our Christmas shopping…and did very well. I wish we had room for more! About 2pm we had to get back on the road to be in Whitehorse for the Chinese smorg at 5pm with the rest of the Chapter AB-B’s who made it here. Before we turn in for the night, we have reservations for the Follies at 9:15.
The Follies were a real replica of a late 1800’s vaudeville show. It was hilarious!! A poor lady in the front row from Idaho was the joke of the night…I’m sure someone else gets the “honor” each night they perform. The music was pretty good…each of the players has to multi-task and be able to sing, dance and act very well even to get into the cast. It ended quite late, so home to bed and a real early start for tomorrow…all the way to Dawson City!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Summer Solstace is almost upon us, so there is a Cinnamon Bun Run starting at 11pm, going 109km going to the Braeburn Lodge where each cinnamon bun is baked in a pie plate! Officially sunset is close to midnight and sunrise around 3am, but you will see from the photos that it seems much earlier. Needless to say the buns were shared with at least 2 people per bun, usually four!
The Rally breakfast is from 7-9am and features pancakes, sausages, etc. followed by a Bug Run. Three tiny quarter inch dots are purchased and placed anywhere on the bike you think the bugs will hit. Then off you go on a ride. Today we rode a loop from Whitehorse to Carcross, then around to Tagish, famous for mosquitoes (in my opinion) then back to Whitehorse. Ted was calling, “Here, bug, bug, bug!” but to no avail, those skitties were dodging the green dots like the plague!
An outstanding banquet started at 6pm at the Yukon college, where all the events were headquartered. Choice between beef, chicken or veggie burgers, 3 types of salads and delicious desserts were on the menu. The prize draws followed, with our own Denis Harvey picking his own name! (he would get payback later…) The Chapter of the Year Award was then presented to the Surrey BC chapter, and the Edmonton AB-B’s, an Honorable Mention! Whoo hoo! We will be returning home with our plaque!
What made the banquet so outstanding was the entertainment. The Snowshoe Shufflers were an absolute riot! And I mean riot. These local gals put on quite a show with numbers titled “The Dance of the Plump Sugar Fairies” and “The Butt Cracker Suite” Payback for Denis occurred when he was chosen, along with Phil Craven and Dennis Bible to join the Snowshoe Shufflers as honorary members. I think these guys all deserve the booby prize for sure! The welcome sign to the Yukon states it is “larger than life’ and I’d say these folks know how to have a good time!

Friday, June 20, 2008

O what a glorious morning! Yes, the sun is shining today and not a cloud in sight! Almost the whole group is riding the train through the White Pass to Skagway, Alaska. This restored narrow gauge train is back in service just for the tourist trade. The passenger cars are just like in the early 1900’s …. No fancy seats, however there are bathrooms on board! There are hardly words to describe the scenery, including the fresh snow that fell last week. Pictures will have to tell the tale.
Once in Skagway, we toured at leisure around the tiny town that is reminiscent of the Gold Rush days. So much to see, and by the way, it seems every other store is a jewellery shop( not at all like the Gold Rush days). Polar Ice! Good thing I’m not too partial to diamonds….
Half of us lunched at an Italian-Mexican restaurant. They tell us none of the locals run the shops and eateries; these folks are employed by the cruise lines. There is a huge cruise ship in the harbor too. The time here is far too short, but we will return on Sunday with a Poker Run! Whoohooo! ( I basically scouted for what I will buy then!)
The return trip to Whitehorse was via coach (bus). I think our bus driver works at Yuk-Yuk’s on his days off! At any rate we had lots of laughs and a great time. Lots of “zzzzzzzzzzzz’s” on the way back too J
The Whitehorse Region “J”Rally begins tonight, and once back in town we rush off to register. The Summer Solstace is almost upon us, so there is a Cinnamon Bun Run starting at 11pm, going 109km. Will post later to keep you informed!

Thursday June 19, 2008

Our host recommended a truck stop just down the road and a waterfall about an hour from Watson Lake, so we left the Air Force Lodge after packing all our stuff and putting on our boots, which we had to leave at the door! (I told you the place was clean!) We rode about 15 minutes down the road to Sally’s Café, Sally, being the husband of a Ma&Pa team, kinda like a boy named Sue, got it? The food was fantastic, everything out here is homemade- nothing processed. I am not wearing a watch so I don’t know what time we left, but away we went down the Alaska Highway to Rancheria Falls. A 500 meter hike took us right to the falls, which actually were split into two, and weren’t very high but were very forceful…I wouldn’t want to ride those falls in a canoe! Carrying on down the highway….
The tiny town of Teslin is named after a huge lake, about 80 km long, 2 km wide and 700 meters deep. Things are LARGE here….the rivers are huge too- and we thought the Athabasca was big…..and ALL the rivers are big! Lunch stop is here and it was busy! There is a Museum here that Ted saw on a TV show, where the animals are taxidermy in attack mode. It was awesome! Polar bear, Grissly bear, Arctic foxes, Moose, wolves, Ground caribou (reindeer)black bear & cub, beaver, buffalo, mountain goats & sheep, deer with locking horns….plus owls and a raven. That’s all I can remember, but it was a wonderful display. Similar to what you can see at the Edmonton Museum, and very well done.
There isn’t much along the Alaska Highway between towns, so onward we go to Whitehorse, population of about 30,000. After today’s ride we will be staying in Whitehorse for 4 days. There is a great deal to see & do here, so I will keep you posted….off to wash clothes. L

Wednesday June 18, 2008

Today was a fabulously wonderful day! It was a Whoohoo! Day…. We left Fort Nelson about 8:10 and travelled through the Northern Rockies. The roads were very curvy with loads of dips and turns, a biker’s dream road! …and the scenery was amazing. We passed by Muncho Lake which was huge and the most gorgeous aquamarine color you ever saw…and the road curled around the lake for miles & miles. It was breathtaking! There’s lots of wildlife on the roads: a mother moose & her baby, several HUGE buffalo, about 5 black bears, (one mother with a cub), and lots of mountain goats right on the road. The deer are always there too…one flew across the road in the midst of our group…but we all waited and watched her do it. Nineteen pairs of eyes are pretty good for safety!
When we have a long riding day, we stop frequently. One stop was at Toad River, a cute little place in the middle of nowhere….it was so busy…lots of RV’s heading to Alaska, a tour bus and the regular Greyhound bus were all there at once! And 19 of us with 10 thirsty Goldwings rode up! Miracuously, we all got gas and a snack in record time.
About midday, we stopped at Liard Hot Springs and most of the group went into the pool for a dip. Too hot for me! Ted & I went for a short hike on a wooden boardwalk instead, amongst the tropical vegetation to a second pool that was much deeper and not quite as hot,( so we were told). There was also a “Hanging Garden” which was formed from the sulphur bubbling up through the ground, then hardening into rock. It was a very pleasant break in the day.
Just after lunch, a big cloud came up as we were mounting the bikes to get going again…so we were pelted a bit…some hail about “Pea” size. But only for about 10 minutes, all together, including the hail. Bikers just keep going and in short order we were out of the bad weather and on the way “home” to Watson Lake. We are staying at a restored 1942 Airforce barracks. Small rooms, with the bathroom & showers down the hall. It is quite an experience, but I love it. The ladies all get to yak in the shower room as we are doing our hair, etc…. reminds me of my student nursing days living in residence!
Dinner reservations were for 8 pm, and we just had time to post our custom made sign at the sign forest. Over 64,000 signs are there…you’ll see only a few in the pictures! Tomorrow our destination is Whitehorse. Another long day, but we will be there for 4 days for the Rally. See you then!

Tuesday June 17

During breakfast this morning, the weather was on the TV and I noticed there is a high pressure area all over the north including Whitehorse! So we should have nice sunny weather all the way there…..until I got outside and looked at the black sky…we must be on the edge of that system! Weather is very important to riding, you see.
Not much on our agenda today but travelling to Fort Nelson. Just forest from here to there, but we did manage to find a really cool little restaurant at Buckinghorse River. The stop was supposed to be just for coffee, but it was noon and they served the most delicious soup with homemade buns…..who could resist? Gas is $1.59/litre here!
We arrived at Fort Nelson about 3pm, so we have time to relax a bit. Our room is poolside at a Hotel that is a lot like the Westlock Inn or Lethbridge Lodge. Trees outside the door….quite nice! Tomorrow we get to post our sign at Watson Lake in the Sign forest!

Monday June 16

The weather looks fantastic today! Nothing but blue sky do I see! Ted took me to see his old schools and the houses they lived in when they lived in Dawson Creek for 17 years. We also took a few pictures downtown at the real Mile Zero and snapped a couple of the murals. Nicely done!
About 9am our group headed for Chetwynd; our goal for the day is to tour the WAC Bennett Dam just 22 km from Hudson Hope. Once in Chetwynd, we discovered they were just clearing up from a four-day Chain Saw Carving contest. WOW! I wish we could have watched them in action..how do they get that detail with a chain saw?? The information Center was located in the center of Town and had the winners from 2007…just amazing as you’ll see.
We lunched at the cafeteria at the Recreation Center…OMG! What delicious meals we had for $5 or $6…and served on fancy square plates and all. Those girls deserve a Gold Star! Smacking our lips, we continued on to Hudson Hope.
Pulling in to the Bennett Dam site later, a tour guide ran over to us and asked us to please come along on her tour bus….so we did! The tours are only conducted every hour and we would have had to wait another hour! No cameras or purses, bags, etc are allowed , so we just stashed everything and got on the bus. It was an amazing tour. The bus took us right into the kilometer long entrance tunnel to the underground powerhouse. I’m not technical so I can’t tell you all about what we saw, but it was so cool. http://www.kryton.com/projects/bridgesdams/wac_bennett.php (copy & paste this link to find out more) Everything was so huge! Ten power turbines supply power for Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and local areas. The visitors’ center also showed a film about the building of the dam. Impressive.
About 3:30 pm we returned to Hudson Hope, then on to Fort St John where we will stop for the night. BTW, gas is $1.45.9/litre up here!!! After all that fresh air today, I’m ready for some supper and a nice clean bed! Tomorrow we are off to Fort Nelson via the Alaska Highway (BC#97).

Sunday June 15

Sunday, June 15, 2008
Emille & Lucy Lambert met us at our house about 8:15 am and we set out with “iffy” weather for Whitecourt, where we were to meet up with the Edmonton group at the A&W by 10am. We pretty much had sunshine for the whole way, but once entering Whitecourt, we found the others getting suited up in rain gear. Not very far down highway 43 to Valleyview, we met up with a friendly big black cloud, which consistently followed us all the way to Dawson Creek!
Lunch stop was in Valleyview at the Traveller’s Inn at the Esso on the highway. We threw all of our helmets and jackets in the corner, and ate without all the bulky equipment in the seat next to us! While we were eating, our Big Black Cloud soaked our bikes, etc., but it seems it has some mercy and is intermittent in its sprinkling! Terry was in the lead, and we all turned off at 733 to take a road less travelled, past all his old haunts as school principal at Spirit River. Stopping at Rycroft for a bathroom break, it looked like the sun was finally winning out, but we took a turn and our Cloud followed us.
We arrived at Dawson Creek in the sunshine and 17 C for a photo op at mile zero of the Alaska Highway. We have 17 people and 9 bikes at this moment, but Barry & Debbie are catching up to us. Actually they came into DC just as we were searching for the Ramada, and Barry being a truck driver by trade, knew the way. As we were checking into our rooms, the rain poured down for about 10 minutes, just enough to soak everything and add to the dirt & dust already coating everything we have with us!
Supper at 5pm (6pm Alberta time) across the street, so hopefully it won’t rain while we run over there!

Squeaker helping Press the Bridesmaid dresses

Getting the Bike Ready to Go...

Ted is getting Murray to check over the Bike and is adding some Safety Chrome for the trip....

Hey! Everybody...I'm 100%

Yes! I was to see my doctor today for the results from the tests I had last month and absolutely every one of them came back normal. So all that being sick was just a nasty flu x 3. I can go on holidays now and not worry....at least about me!

I am getting as much as I can done on the bridesmaid dresses, and Kristin is left to finish them. She gets to have all the fun trying to get together with the girls! I think I should be able to entirely finish up the Junior dress...just have to put the tulle ruffle on the bottom, and that's it!

Squeaker is going to stay with Digit and Kristin & Tyler. I hope they all get along!

We have the landscapers to see to cutting the lawn while we are away and Mom (Nellie) is going to pick up the mail and water the flowers. Now all I need to do is pack...and that won't take long...I only get one bag....***sigh**** Laptop goes in first...then camera, battery, cord, battery charger....

A Dozen Long Stemmed Roses from my Mom!!

My Mom sent us a dozen roses for our 30th Anniversary! Aren't they gorgeous???

30 years and counting!!

Last evening we had our 30th Anniversary BBQ, well it was the Goldwing BBQ, but we decided to serve cake and have fun anyhow! Everyone enjoyed the beautiful & delicious cake make by our local Sobey's and we didn't bring very much of it back home! It rained and hailed, but we had a large cookhouse at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton, so we were all warm & dry for the whole evening. The sun came out later... so here's to another 30 years at least!

Quite a Week Ahead!

Kristin is busy sewing as well... "swimming in tulle" she says....

This is the last week before Ted & I leave for Holidays! Yikes! I have one more night shift to go, and then I'm off for a month! WOW! I have a ton of sewing to do this week and of course I have to pack for holidays....and then we have to celebrate our 30th Anniversary tomorrow, so have to get ready for that. Luckily I have lots of help! Squeaker is going to stay with Digit and Kristin & Tyler for the 24 days we will be away. I'm going to miss her like crazy!:( And then only 10 days before the wedding when we get back! :O

Enjoying Being Outside

Squeaker Helping Mom again!

Now that the fittings for the bridesmaids are nearly completed, I'm finished cutting all the dresses out. Of course, I had help! After ducking under the tissue patterns, Squeaker found a good spot to curl up! She is a diva for sure... 100% raw silk, no less!
I must comment that there is only one fabric here...isn't it gorgeous? Depending on which way you look, the color changes from orange to fuschia. It really photographs beautifully!

Scott's Enjoying being back in Slave Lake

Scott has been camping, dirt biking, quadding, etc since being back in SL...he loves the small town life. (I don't know how me managed in the city for so long...and right downtown too! Yikes! ) Anyhoo, he's having a blast on holidays, and is just starting his LOA from Haliburton. He is looking for a new job up in SL, and a few promising opportunities have come up already. Good luck to him...he deserves the best!

Wow! It's June!

Time is flying by too fast! June is here and July is just around the corner, with still too much to do. I managed to get stage one of my flowers beds done. I think I'll wait for Stage two until after holidays. That way there is less to water while we are away. We are getting the same "swat team" to cut our lawn while we are away as did the spring Clean up. Too much yard for Grandma & Grampa to look after for too long.

We leave for Whitehorse/Alaska in 2 weeks. before you know it we'll be home again! hahaha!

Squeaker has been enjoying her outside time. She leaps in the grass and sniffs everything! She growls at the kids next door...what behaviour for a super model! Ted knocked down our rickety fence around the patio yesterday and you should have seen her gawking...of course she hid in the basement while he was making all the noise, but afterwards, it was as if she was saying,"What did you do with my protective barrier??" She used to peek at the trail blazers through the fence... but it was such an eyesore. I'm glad it's gone.

Off to work for now. Talk to you later!