Grazing in the Woods

This weekend we were heading out to Surprise Cove with Karl, Laurie, Nora, Lake & Rosie. We all met up at the Whittier tunnel at 9:30 am and got our boats put in with no problems. Once at Surprise Cove, we anchored and rafted up and then set out for a treasure hunt. We had found one of the geocaches on an island in Surprise Cove, but then learned later that there was a second one to be found on the other side of the island. With the the coordinates loaded on the GPS we were off in search of adventure! We also found the island was full of good tasting blueberries! One of Sam's favorites! He grazed the island as we wandered about.

Notice Sam and Zach in the motor floater behind the boat. The two of them kept going between the big boat and the Zodiac. It was only a matter of time before one of them took a plunge in. They have their life jacket on....it will be a cold learning experience. It was Sam who went in. As he stepped from the motor deck of our boat to the Zodiac, it floated away just enough that he was straddling the water and then in he went. We pulled him out within about 3 seconds and, obviously, didn't leave him in the water to get a picture.....but, it would have been a good picture as his eyes were HUGE! That water is cold!

Dry clothes feel so good!

Later in the afternoon, we all piled on our boat and headed out to collect the shrimp from the pots. We then planned to head close to Granite Bay to see if Kevin would be there fishing. We got about 100 shrimp, headed toward Kevin, but there were no fishing vessels in sight. So, we anchored in Granite Bay and grilled up dinner. Zach and Nora did a great job putting all the shrimp tails on skewers for the BBQ!

Sam got a lift to the front of the boat.

On our way back to Surprise Cove we went past a cruise ship. I suspect there were a few people watching us from the windows; we certainly thought the cruise ship was neat too. The kids were getting tired now, so Doug put on a video for the ride back. Lake fell asleep quickly and was leaning on Sam, it was pretty cute.

Sunday would not be the same wonderful weather as Saturday. In the morning we headed off on the motor floaters to the start of a boardwalk trail that goes to Kayaker's Beach. A beautiful walk and easy enough for the kids to do without much help. Kayaker's Beach has tent platforms, an out house.....and LOTS of berries! Blueberries, raspberries and one I think were called moon berries. We picked berries for pancakes tonight!

Sam will work by me in picking berries, but he would rather eat the ones that I have already collected. He kept offering to Laurie and I to "hold our containers" for us. Sweet offering; not a chance Sam!

We got back to the boat just as it started to rain hard. Karl and Laurie who were further behind us got soaked! Doug looked across the water when a strange sound started...it was the rain line racing toward us, within seconds Doug was in it!

Yumm! The blueberry pancakes were wonderful! We made a huge batch, enough so that we would re-heat a couple every morning for Zach's breakfast before heading to German camp this week.

We also did well on our second shrimp pull on Sunday. The seas were rough and we were all ready to head in. Unfortunately, Karl and Laurie couldn't find their string of pots. We looked for a while for the buoy, but then decided to head in. It is either there and we didn't see it, or there was a problem with the buoy staying on their line and it floated off. Karl is going back out next weekend to track it down. Good luck Karl!

Mile High City

I headed to Denver on Monday for a Delivering Financial Performance training course. I don't do a lot in the financial system, but do have a large cost center with Real Estate and should know how to look at the charges in our account better than I do. The 3 days of training were great, the software systems and reasons on why and how. The best part was the group was a lot of accountants in other areas. I now know who to call when I have a problem!

I stayed at the Comfort Inn about 7 blocks from the Halliburton office. What a great view from the 22nd floor! Halliburton's office is on floors 12, 19 and 20 of a large office building downtown - great views. Denver has a wonderful downtown area.

One of the perks about a trip to Denver is having dinner with my favorite nephews! It worked out well that Fred, Lisa, Burton and Max were able to come downtown on Tuesday to have dinner. They parked about 4 blocks from my hotel and walked up to meet me. Their car location was directly across the street from the Rock Bottom Brewery, a great place to eat. It was well planned to have their car so close as a huge thunderstorm occurred while we were eating. The folks on the patio came racing into the restaurant in a hurry!

Burton and Max had some brewed root beer!

Nice picture!

On Wednesday, Larry invited me over for dinner. I hadn't seen his family in 10-12 years we figured. His son, Doug, was 4 or 5 the last time I saw him in the Anchorage office; he is now a sophomore in high school. Katlyn, his daughter, is now in Bakersfield, California as a freshman in college. Larry's wife, Susie, hasn't changed a bit. She looks just the same as I remember her.

Cassie was my side companion at dinner in case I dropped anything.

Larry and Susie. Susie mentioned that she really missed her PEO friends in California. When I nodded that I knew what that was she was quite surprised. My mom has been a member of PEO for many, many years. Susie and and I had a good talk about PEO and how, perhaps, she will do a PEO bed and breakfast when Doug goes to school. Their house would be perfect....it is huge and has a full apartment type set-up on the finished walk-out lower level - including a kitchen!

On Thursday, my last night in Denver, I walked the 16th Street mall. A long street with only free city buses on it. I didn't want to carry my camera, but now wish I had brought it along. What a fun place! I walked from the capital building at one end to the train yard at the other and then took the free bus back. Fun to window shop and watch all the people. Denver has several pianos, all painted fun, on the median of 16th Street. Adults and kids were playing and singing and having a great time. What a neat concept for a downtown area!

All I Want for Christmas

Doug was brushing Zach and Sam's teeth for bedtime. He told Zach that the top tooth was hanging by a thread......one quick jerk and it was out! Zach was so excited. He is so cute with his front tooth missing. The tooth fairy would be coming tonight as the tooth is safely under his pillow in the tooth pillow. $5 and a water expandable octopus...not bad for an night's work!