just news

well, things are waking up here in the great state of alaska. yesterdays daylight report boasts over 16 hours, with sunrise just before 6 and sunset just after 10 pm. although we still havent seen the mercury climb over 55 degrees. i'll be sunbathing when we finally hit 60.
after the coldest march on record, its truly amazing how relative temperature can be.jeff has just returned from a quick and productive trip back to colorado where spring is full on. the flowering crabapple tree at the riverhouse is about to bust and the cache la poudre is beginning to pick up some speed at nearly a foot on the rock. i'm sure the boaters are antsy.

the house hunt continues here in the mat-su valley. prices are obscene and the condition of most houses are dated and dumpy. its kind of depressing.
we have been so spoiled by this location tucked beneath the talkeetnas and the moose range. its a bummer the owners dont want to sell to a nice family like us!!
our brilliant idea of soliciting other land owners in the hood didnt pan out- although we did get a response from a nice sounding couple who will begin building on their land soon. they too relocated from colorado.

summer plans are shaping up fast, it seems from here to september it will be a constant barrage of activity.
speaking of... our newest addition is a 1977 jayco travel trailer. i am remiss in not having a photo of it, will post later. we're thinking maybe we'll just live in it. (:
special thanks to r & l for passing it over to us when l's folks were looking to unload it.
it sleeps 8 (but as les pointed out you have to have some serious organization to pack everyone in there "bunk's one and two, load up! now three, hop on in...)
its got everything you need for some serious car camping. even a little stove and gas fridge.
jade is pretty excited. we even ate birthday pizza in there just for fun. call me old, or practical. i love it!

we now have some confirmed visitors on the calender.
the ink is dry and tickets are purchased for the other l.b. who arrives on memorial day weekend for a whirlwind tour of southcentral alaska. yippeeee!!
we are planning on heading down to seward on an afternoon cruise and of course hoping to catch a glimpse of a whale, otter, sea lion, puffin and glacier. (but we'll settle for good company and the beauty of the little ocean town.)
dad's reservation has not been changed from pencil to ink as he has yet to purchase tickets, (hello, dad, are you reading??) but he and joan are still threatening to come in a mere 3 weeks just before l.b. arrives.

we are practically counting the days till the morris's arrive in early july. we'll be taking summer vacation with these great friends and attempting to pack in talkeetna, in hopes of glimpsing the great mountain, homer, to share the charm of halibut cove and mossey's farm, seward, to hang out with r, l & l and then the coastal train back to the valley for hiking at hatcher pass, hanging out and visiting the musk-ox and reindeer. (there are kids involved, what can i say?)

whew, throw in some big head todd, bela fleck and hot tuna and i'll say summer is looking like a pretty good reward for making it through that long dark winter.

did i mention the mosquitos are already buzzing around?? they are big and slow and freaking me out.