Alaska

Lavonne and I took off over the tundra to see her Nephew and fish for salmon. I caught a big pink sockeye and we hooked/lost a red. We did see a moose on the way back. Lavonne tried to get me to get a better shot. He put his ears back and came prancing forward to say hi...how are you...this is my territory and say goodnight. I was trying to explain "Moose behavior" to Lavonne and trying to get her to move the rental car at a faster speed at the same time. Needless to say I have a new set of undies on and I found I can move pretty fast for an arthritic old lady.

The bear is from Sam and Mary Ann's (friends house), the speech was in Anchorage and the iceberg is in Prince Wm. Sound. We head home tonight and I will post some other photos then.

The last week was PACKED! I taught workshops for 125 folks in Indianola at Simpson College. The Balloon Festival was on at the same time so I did catch one night of great flights.

The balloons have these events where landing precisely is rewarded. So, they come in low over a corn or bean fields (and often phone wires too) and swoop over the heads of the locals (who have gathered on their lawns eating corn...it is IOWA...and drinking tea). These shots are from there.

My Mom, being the adventurer, would have talked her way onto one of the balloons and would have been flying. I will try to do that next year.

I think It would be a great idea to make a flushing sound and drop some water down on the gathered folks and say...excuse me...

I rode with a crazy DC driver to a local Welsley dining establishment. Cheryl, the driver, had general directions and after making several pedestrians turn their lives over to the Lord she got us to Blue Ginger. This restaurant is owned by Ming Tsai (yes the guy who has a line of asian fusion food at Target and the TV shows).

We dined on pepper garlic lobster (I wanted to move in) and desserts that would curl your toes. Then, as Ming moved out of the kitchen to work the crowd... Cheryl (a huge fan) began lusting after a rump roast that was not on the menu. When the roast turned his flank steaks around and came by to say hello she got this glassy eyed look (I haven't seen since the Beatle years). Ming used to cook in Santa Fe and he told me he left when boc choy got to be $6 where here is is 39 cents. Cheryl, could not speak so I just let her sit there and look goofy (what are friends for).

Dad and the "Ladies"

Sharon, Lavonne's sister visited Elmo while we were in Los Alamos. Dad, being his usual generous self took the ladies to lunch (all 6 of us). When the cafe owner a lovely Asian guy) came up to welcome Dad and ask where Mel was...he looked at me puzzled and asked who the guests were. I said, I am Elmo's daughter, Lavonne is his other daughter and Sharon, Lavonne's sister, chimed in...I am Monday and she isTuesday...etc.

I added that he is so hard to buy for...and Father's day was coming up soon.

The flustered guy did not stick around. I can't imagine why...but Dad's cache in Los Alamos as a ladies man just went up big time. I am known to the guys on the hill as the daughter who gives the most amazing and useful gifts. I put Sharon's cell number in the bathroom.

My two favorite guys!

For those of you who have been living under a rock and have not had to sit through my photos of Archer and Jesus I am posting photos of these two little gys from their blogs (they aren't blogging yet but they have blogging "staff" who do the work for them...OK Mom's who do that for them).

Now these are cute babies! If you think otherwise just keep your thought to yourself and remember that Lavonne and I are both licensed to carry concealed handguns.

Vancouver

We are in the Pacific Northwest. We toured Victoria and Vancouver and Sammich Island and generally relaxed. Lavonne loves the totems and sunsets. I was kind of fond of the shrimp scampi.

Cubby the cat is back in Steamboat and we miss his grey little mug. He has been chasing critters on the acreage and catching zip. This is a photo of him on the perch he selected after we had his niblits removed. He looks a bit calmer...no?