Thursday, May 29, 2008

Thursday already. Where have the last three days gone?

My suitcase arrived last night - at 9.30pm!! I had already gone to bed.

Isn't it lovely that the world gets dark for several hours every day?

Work is busy. Look forward to catching up with some of you soon.

Lesley

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Home again!

We're home. Thank goodness.

The tour has been fabulous, company great, scenery amazing, cruise unforgettable, food scrumptious......................... (you must get my drift by now)

Give us all a few days to settle down, back to the grindstone and watch this space.

The comments will fly.

Lesley

Sunday, May 25, 2008

downhill from here!

The title says it all - it's all downhill from here as we travel from way up here, to way down there.

The BAGS are bring bought down now. We'll post a total later.

Much excitement for me last night, my Barney got a hole-in-one on the 7th at Ngaruawahia yesterday. This is his second, but still very, very exciting. The bar shout would have been fun. Cliff, you could probably hear him yahoo from Hamilton.

The other excitement last night was that it almost got dark. The sky was a little overcast, so at midnight it just looked 'light dark'.

Will wrap this up at home.

Lesley

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Last call from Alaksa

------ or maybe there'll be time tomorrow, we'll see.

Rainy day, but not enough to dampen our spirits.

The Aurora Collection was AMAZING! I just can't describe how magnificent Dave Parkhurst's photographs of many years of aurora, set to piano and guitar, could be. Nearly everyone bought a copy of the DVD (did I spell that right?) A very moving experience.

After the show and a quick chat with Dave it was onto Cabin Fever to meet with talented artist Barbara Lavelle. Another website worth visiting. Lots of books and prints were purchased.
Cabin Fever is a very nice gift store, good quality at reasonable prices.

Mike our driver then drove us around the city. We saw a moose standing in someones yard. gosh he was big, but horns just buds at this early stage of the season. Our afternoon tour included a golf shop (sorry Barney - just junk and good golfers don't like junk) and the bush Pilots Park at the airport. Alaska has the highest number of float planes in the world and this lake at the airport is just for them. Kind of like with your boat. A small shed and tie your plane out outside, or drag it up on the dry. The road markings are like at a rail crossing, but these are for 'planes crossong'. Stopped and watched a few take off, but quite fresh out there.

Last minute purcxhases are being made, bags at being sat on and all is well with the world.

Maybe tomorrow, but if not next week,

Lesley & the 40 slightly weary travellers

where are you all??

How come no comments since my last post? What's your excuse, been asleep, or something?

One of our more memorable exploits was having all 41 (remember one has gone off to Italy) waiting for the number 2 bus into Downtown. Deb, the driver was fabulous and she put the bus 'out of service' and drove us one downtown with the only stops being for drop offs.

Great, great restaurant last night. Snow Goose is a quilters must for dinner. Its a really large building that also contains their brewery. I think I've already suggested their website.

Had our gift swap last night when we got back to the hotel.

All downhill from here.

Lesley & the Suitcase Gang

Friday, May 23, 2008

Anchorage

Greeting from Anchorage again.

Despite the flight leaving nearly an hour late we had a fine flight down from Fairbanks.
Luckily they had the freight crew at the airport to load the coach. Mike - same driver as last time, was very smiley and happy to us ( if not the 85 checked pieces of luggage).

First stop - yep, Quilt Tree and a lunch date with designer Brenda Henning. We got to see all of her quilts that have been featured in her various books.

I have walked back to the hotel - yes Matthew, your board Boots have arrived from Michigan.
Am off to explore the bus system. we are heading into town tonight for dinner at the Snow Goose restaurant. Check out their website for the views etc.

Later

Lesley 7 just 40 others now. Marty has started on her journey to Italy :)

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Tired now!

What have we done today. Well, I told you this morning about going to a quilt store, well, we went to 2. First up this morning we went to Northern Threads. Absolutely fabulous and voted best of tour by many.

A quick visit to the Post Office by several people to send parcels home (isn't that cheating?), then it was on to see the Alaskan Oil Pipeline. Very interesting for a big grey (48" in diametre) round thing. Stretches something like 800 miles.

Across the road was an iceberg. We have the pics to prove it! Seems the lunatic that lives there had a long stand pipe installed and every few days he just turned it on until he ended up with an 'iceberg' that was over 50' tall. (Only in America)

A short bus journey to Chatanika Lodge. You would not believe this place. About 30 mins form anything there is this big complex festoon with Harley Davidson flags and fairy lights. It has a bar, restaurant and accommodation - and fairy lights. In fact, it has fairy lights everywhere! By the squillion! They are on the rafters, around the poles that hold up the ceiling, around the door frames.... you get the idea.

Then there's the dollar bills. They are written on and the staples to the rafters, walls, doors etc, etc, etc. There's thought to be over $30,000 worth. Ours is inside the door on the left just as you turn to go to the counter.

THEN there's the Ladies Room!!!!! Well, it's a double bowl booth, with swing doors and wait til you see the light switch cover. AMAZING! Especially with the shadow from the light!

Food and company were wonderful. Colleen had invited Tom who works for the Courts system and travels from about the Arctic Circle up, looking after villages and settlements. Very intersting man and culture.

After lunch we were invited to Margaret Wiedman's house. Margaret is a quilting friend of Colleen's. Her home is a log cabin in the woods. Fab.

Back into town for the last quilt store for the day. Phew!

Early night tonight (yeah right). Sue and I had dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant.

time for a bath, wine & bed.

Till tomorrow.