New addition to the family

We have lots of animals, four dogs. We have Harley T-shirts. We have books. We have photo albums. We have Beanie Babies.  We have baseball hats.  All is loved or cared for, for one reason or another.

But I have another thing, actually many of them, that are special. It's a collection of teapots. A family of teapots, with nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, mom and pop, aunts and uncles. Who knew that teapots had family? I relate it to sizes, big ones, little ones, medium-sized ones, ceramic ones, metal ones, glass ones, and there's even a teapot that is a windchime.

One shelf of teapots.

My first teapot (that I remember anyway) is one that I still have. It was my grandmother's and had what I thought was an ashtray with it. Back then lots of people smoked. Now I wonder if perhaps it was a little dish to put used teabags on. I don't know.

This is one of the most unique teapots I own, because it was probably my first, it was made in England, and it was my grandmother's and so it's pretty old.  My grandmother died in the late-50s as near as I can remember.

My mother bought me teapots over the years, mostly the Japanese type with the little cups. There's even a blue duck one that is also still part of the teapot family.

There are teapots like houses, a rabbit, ones with pigs, ones with moose or bears, one that is a dragon, a peppermint one, one with the face of a clock. There are holiday ones, including Easter, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day. It's a diverse collection, with something for everyone if you like teapots.

A few teapots.

For my birthday one year, friends got me a beautiful fish teapot, with the pouty fish lips as the spout, and fins, like a fancy fantail carp. It's one of my favorites.

Miss Fishy, came to me from Karl LeRay and Lynn Fibranz.  Isn't she a beauty?

Over the years other friends have added to the collection, and I cherish each and every one of them. I've also purchased some of them, including the Christmas teapots. Each teapot is special; each is beautiful in it's own way, perhaps because of its beauty, perhaps because it was a gift from people who are special to me.

This pretty little number with Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz characters came from my Kansas friends, Ruth and Sylvia.

As of today, there's another addition to the teapot family. It's like no other I've ever seen or heard of and will probably become a traveling teapot. Biker Bill went to the Sportsman's Show and was wandering around when he saw it. A Pack Away teapot. It's a fully-collapsible kettle, with a stainless steel base, a silicone body and a nylon handle. It collapses to less than 2 inches, and is ideal to carry on the motorcycle.

The new, practical, useful and beautiful addition to the family.  And Biker Bill knows the right color, too.  Red rules!

Others have given me many teapots over the years, but this is the first from my live-in man. Thank you, Biker Bill, and welcome home, teapot.

Spay-ghetti for a good cause

This afternoon some of us went to Guido's, off International, because the Alaska SPCA (located right next door) was having its fourth annual spay-ghetti fund-raiser. Spaghetti for $15 and a silent auction. The proceeds would be used to support the Alaska SPCA's spay and neuter clinics, rescue and adoption services, and more. Sounded like a win-win for everyone. And spaghetti is my favorite food, next to popcorn anyway.

Biker Bill and I went, Pam, Caroline, Stacey and Dennis, Julie, Mike, MaryAnn. It was a great time. The Purple Haze and Charity and her friends were coming, too, although we left before they got there.

The gang.  (Photo credit to David Jensen who I corralled to take a photo of us.)  Thank you, David.

Jackie and Maureen from Channel 2 were there, as well as David Jensen from Alaska Pet-ography. David does the pet photos for Friends of Pets that are in the Anchorage Daily News. That's how we got our last Beagle, Oliver. David did the photo and Oliver looked so cute. All of them do, actually. He has also photographed other dogs we've had, and the photos are wonderful. And up on my walls, of course.

Maureen and Jackie.  Always a pleasure, and they're always there for a good cause.

Guido's was packed, and the spaghetti was being served, along with garlic bread and salad. The line was short, and the serving quick. A wine bar was part of the draw for some, I'm sure, as glasses of wine flowed off the wine bar. A dessert bar was quickly being depleted as people fed their sweet tooth with chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, apple pie and so much more. The dessert bar was very popular with our table. Thank you, Biker Bill.

Wine, wine and more wine.  This was just one table in a room full of tables with something for everyone, even our four-legged friends ... treats, clothes, doggles (goggles for dogs), dog washes. 

While we didn't stay for the whole event, it appeared it would be an outrageous success. More than a hundred silent auction items were set up on tables all around the building, ranging from wine packages, travel and spa packages, cat packages, dog packages, art work, and so much more. The choices were mindbending. I haven't received a call yet. It appears that I did not win any of the items I bid on. Guess I should have stayed until the end and hip checked someone out of the way to get my favorite.

This wasn't something I bid on, although it was so cute.  There was a whole section of auction items for kids, and I don't mean the four-legged ones.  These were for the human kids. 

Even so, it was a great time for a great cause. Congratulations on a job well done to the Alaska SPCA and its volunteers.

This sweet-looking kid bid us good bye as we left the spay-ghetti fund-raiser.

Give me some of that Arizona/California/Florida orange juice

I picked and ate or drank juice from oranges, tangerines, lemons and limes from the trees in Verlie and Joe's back yard in Arizona. I had eaten wonderful oranges Jaz's mom had gotten at the store in California. I had had hand-squeezed orange juice from trees behind Ken and Judi Peep's in Arizona (two stops in Arizona). And finally, I had had excellent honey tangerines and oranges picked up at a roadside stand in Florida.

I buy the Simply Orange juice here at home in Alaska, which is the best on the retail market, but wanted better. Can you blame me after what I had experienced during the past month I'd spent Outside in states where these fruits grow, and where I could pick them to my heart's content?

Do you wonder why I had purchased a small hand juicer and decided to buy oranges when I got home so I could have that wonderful, fresh, hand-squeezed taste here? Of course not.

When I unpacked my little plastic juicer, I was excited and the minute I could, I found my way to the grocery store. I found some tangerines and oranges that looked great, and brought home several of each kind, thinking that the taste of each would complement the other.

They're beautiful oranges and tangerines, with the rich color you'd expect.

I lovingly rolled one of each on the countertop as Big Peep (Ken) had told me that it makes them easier to juice. They felt heavy to the touch, a sure sign of lots of juice. Then, I cut each of them in half, and juiced. It's kind of mindless work, but allows for a feeling of accomplishment, and I had quite a bit of juice in my juicer to show for my work. I ate some of the pulp that was left, but it wasn't the wonderful taste I had had most recently, and that was my first indication that my juicy oranges would not yield a tasty juice.

The juice went into my Bubba Gump glass, and looked pretty, although perhaps a bit on the not-so-deep-orange color I'd seen down south.  I tasted it. Well, not too bad, but it definitely was not the taste I'd had the month before. That taste had been full-bodied, with a sweetness and a tang that made your mouth water just to look at it in the glass. What to do? I put the glass in the refrigerator. Maybe it would taste better later, chilled.

Looks beautiful.  Once again, looks are deceiving. 

I tried it … chilled it's good, although not very sweet and rather thin-tasting. It's not the standard I'd gotten used to. I'd gotten spoiled.  Back to Simply Orange, the best around here.

Harley shirts.  I own them, or they own me

How many Harley shirts are too many? I lost count years ago after reaching 400. I have this obsession. I can't pass up a Harley shop without stopping to get a shirt to add to my collection. I have ones I've not yet worn, ones I've worn once and ones I've worn multiple times because they're comfortable or I like the look or color. Black is not my favorite, although it used to be pretty much the only color, or lack of color, you could get. I still pick up a black one now and then because the design on it is so cool, or the contrasting colors look awesome. You've come a long way in motorclothes, Harley-Davidson.

But saying that leads to my problem. I have a closet that is probably 20-feet long or so. There is a long pole for hanging clothes on, and cubbies and shelves at either end. It's a wonderful closet. The shelf across the top of everything is where the Harley shirts live. I have them all labeled: Guy, short sleeve; guy, long sleeve; girl, short sleeve; girl, long sleeve; girl, medium sleeve; tanks and croppies; sweatshirts; hoodies. It's all quite organized. New shirts get hung on the pole until they've been worn and then they are sent to the shelf to one of the appropriate stacks.

However, my T-shirt organization has gone rogue. The other night laying in bed I heard a crack. I thought it was the house settling in the cold. That was not the case. When I got up the next morning and went to get in the closet the doors wouldn't slide. I finally got one of them open and T-shirts came down like an avalanche of snow, landing on me, the floor, the clothes hanging.

The shelf dropped at the front end, and the hooks holding the pole to the wall pulled out.  The nails and screws pulled out of the wall and are visible.  Half of the clothes have been removed from the closet at this point, as well as all the Harley shirts that were on the shelf.

Of course I swore mightly because not only would I have to fix the shelf and get it all nailed back up since it had pulled off the wall, but I would have to reorganize since shirts got mixed up. Now I had tanks and short sleeve guy shirts intermingling, long sleeve girl shirts and long sleeve guy shirts snuggling up to each other. What a mess.

Shirts, pile 1.

There are piles of shirts all over the bedroom, as well as all the other clothes.  There are piles and stacks everywhere.  It looks like a hoarder's maze, with hardly room to get to the dresser or the other side of the bed.  It's a mess.  There's a handyman coming over Wednesday.  He'll fix it right up for me, I'm sure.  I deplore the mess I have right now. 

I have removed most of the shirts now and am in the process of pulling the hanging clothes out. Then begins the project to nail everything back to the wall, and maybe shore it up. Because I will not be getting rid of any shirts, and probably will continue adding to the collection. Do I tell Hobbs, or not? He'll say I told you so. Don't want to hear it.

St. Patrick's Day, the Wearing of the Green

I've got a claim to this day, mostly from my dad, who was 100 percent pure Irish. Actually I think a lot of it might have been through Irish whiskey, but let's not quibble over the facts. His family had come over from Ireland who knows when since I don't know a whole lot about that side of the family.

But, still, I was born in March and I believe it to be St. Patti's Day, and so off to the House of Harley I went, with cupcakes in hand for the feast being cooked by the Black Sheep, the inspirational side of HOG. I had made chocolate and vanilla ones, with some mint frosting, some white frosting, most decorated with little green sprinkles or green decorator frosting.

I had gone to pick up my friend, Harvey, who had taken a bad fall in February and broken some bones up near the hip. He's still using a walker, but I knew I'd like to see him since it had been a couple of months, and so would everyone else.

The shop was packed. There were brats, green chicken and noodle soup, chips and macaroni salad as well as desserts. Free food is always a big draw at the shop and I think this had to be the biggest Saturday winter gathering. There were lots of people I had never seen before, as well as many I'd not seen in a while, and it's always nice to renew your friendships.

New friend Nina and me at the House of Harley on St. Patrick's Day.

There are also new friendships to be made, and I met a lady named Nina. Nina is deaf, or mostly so, and I believe mute as she was using sign or her phone to text.. She was very nice and we started a converstion. I mentioned I'd just recently purchased a book on American Sign Language as it was something I'd wanted to learn. No reason; just wanted to.

Nina and I exchanged Facebook friend requests, and she taught me my first sign. Hi. Two fingers straight out at a 90-degree angle, then fold all the fingers in except the little one which goes straight up. Hi. I am hoping to learn more with her help, and have looked in my book to pick up a few easy ones, like hello (a salute), goodbye (waving hand), eating (hands to mouth) and drinking (like holding a cup in your hand and drinking).

Purchasing this book of signing must have been an omen.

There was also a group of girls doing Irish dance. What a great exhibition and wonderful entertainment for a special day. They were fun to watch, the music was great, and they are heading off to a national competition, so I wish them the best of luck.

It's always a pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon, at least until riding season. Then I need to be on the road as shop sitting is a winter-sport.

Rhumba, rhumba, zumba. Back at it.

I've been back from vacation for more than a week; came home sicker than a dog. I'm not 100 percent, but it's time to get back to it, zumba. It's an exercise class, with a rhumba, cha cha, hip hop, you-name-it Latin beat. I love it. Why is that? It kicks my butt most days.

But today I headed to the studio, Dance Plus Fitness Studio. It's conveniently located for me off International, in the same strip mall, just down from Guido's and the SPCA, not too far from where I used to work. I'd found this place through a friend of mine, Helen, and had given it a try near the end of 2011.

I couldn't follow the steps, was always a step behind, and always turning the opposite direction of the instructor and everyone else. No matter. I'd kept at it until I could follow the steps most of the time. I still get going the wrong way, though. But it's fun and it seemed to be helping tone me up some.

Sheryl is the owner and one of the instructors.  The instructors are friendly and helpful, and exceptionally tolerant.  I need tolerance since I have two left feet most of the time, and two right feet the rest of the time.  Never one of each at the same time.  But whichever feet show up, I have a great time every time.

However, I'd been on vacation, and then sick, so had not been in about six weeks. My first time back. Oh my. I was wondering where the oxygen was. Why hadn't I brought more water? Why do my shoes hurt my feet? Where's the towel to wipe my sweating brow? OMG!!! I think I've made a huge mistake. The first half-hour is the most difficult. Then it was cool-down time, and I'd made it. I so love this stuff. I'll be back tomorrow.

Me, in the car heading home after having my butt kicked at zumba.  Red-faced, panting, sweating which accounts for wearing a hat, hoping to not catch another cold and relapse.

How could you not love a bowl of soup and cornbread?

Today, March 10, was the Empty Bowl Project, which is an annual fund-raiser presented by the Anchorage Clay Arts Guild for Bean's Cafe. It's held at the Egan Center. For $20 you get to choose a bowl handcrafted by local potters and taste two different types of soup, accompanied by cornbread, butter and honey.

A friend of mine, the Purple Haze, and I have gone together for a few years. Her daughter and some of her friends were joining us. The Haze and I got in and chose our bowls, got them all wrapped up and taste-tested the soup. Hobbs wanted a bowl, too, and so we got a ticket (and a bowl) for him. There was a vegetarian type, a black bean, lentil chili, that really wasn't too bad, and a moose stew, made with beef. It was a pretty good soup. So we got a good meal, some beautiful bowls and some good visiting in. The girls showed up later and so we had more good company.

The Empty Bowl Project started in 1994 with 400 bowls, and now potters make about 2,000 bowls for the event. The announcer said this was the 18^th year for the Empty Bowl Project, and it's raised about a million dollars. A million bucks is a pretty penny for an organization that is currently serving 400 people two meals a day right now. 800 meals. Can you imagine cooking that much food each day?

The bowls I chose this year were exceptionally lovely.  I found them at the very first table, picked them up and never turned loose of them.  Mine is the flowered one; Hobbs's is the other.

The Bean's Cafe founders, Leesie “Bean” Ballew and her mom, Lynn, first arrived in Anchorage in a blue pick up truck with a camper named “Tucker” driving from Boston. Bean had her toys, books, and even what they considered a cafe in the back of truck, making sandwiches for her mom as they drove up the highway. She'd tell her mom when the cafe was open for business, she'd take her order, make the sandwich and give it to her mom, being sure to include a bill that said, “Bean's Cafe thanks you for your business.” And that was the first Bean's Cafe.

The second year Bean and her mom came to stay. Bean's mom had volunteered with a soup kitchen in Boston and she was determined to give Anchorage a place for its street people to eat, rest, read, shower, watch TV, make phone calls or just relax. And she would name it Bean's Cafe. In 1979 Bean's Cafe became a reality in a little empty warehouse near the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Anchorage. By 1985 Bean's had outgrown the location and moved to a new space down over the hill on Third Avenue near Post Road.

For a complete history, check out the web site at http://beanscafe.org/about/history/

I've given to Bean's Cafe for years through my former employer, Chugach Electric, and United Way. Interestingly, I was a loaned executive two different years for a month at a time to United Way and once received a tour of Bean's. You could eat off the floor, everything had a place and was in its place, shiney and ready for the next use. It's pantry was huge, and exceptionally orderly. I've also helped deliver turkeys during the holidays (through my former employer), and the people who work there or are clients there have never been anything other than courteous and grateful.

It's a great organization doing great work.

Extraordinary things, extraordinary hassles
Lots of frustration today.  The computers all keep having issues and now I can't get into my blog documents.  That's very frustrating because it's like a diary that I can't access. 

I'm trying to work in this other program called Notepad and I don't like it, but it's all I have right now.
Apparently there is a lot of solar activity, and I've had to turn off the router and wireless devices twice now to get the computers working again.  Somewhere along the way I had a message show up about documents and I didn't catch what it said.  I think something got corrupted because I can't get my old documents open.  It's more than frustrating as you can imagine since I don't do well with computer stuff to begin with.

But I felt the need to write, and get something on paper today.

Back to the ordinary, March 4/5/6, 2012

I picked up a bug, so am not at my best. But a girl's gotta eat. I had a yen for some tuna salad and crackers. I'd picked up a tuna sandwich at one of the airports, and all I can figure is that they wave the jar of mayonnaise over it, because the flavor of mayo does not make an appearance in those sandwiches.

Unpacking is always a chore, too, but I've found things I'd forgotten about, like the alligator meat sticks I'd gotten for Hobbs. And the Ponce de Leon lighthouse Christmas tree ornament. I've done some of it, but need to rest, so will have to take a nap. Hope to get past this bug in a day or two.

Hobbs turned on the NASCAR race on Sunday so I got to watch my guy finish #5, Brad Keselowski. He's from Michigan, his car colors are the Alaska state flag colors and he likes to stay in touch with his fans.

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday have been mostly stay at home days trying to get rid of the coughing, sneezing and runny nose. I hate being sick.  I'm so boring.

 

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, March 2, 2012

Rerun of most everything from yesterday except I bought mascara yesterday so I will have eyes and feel like I can be seen in public.

I got to the mall early, about 9:30 a.m. I didn't know exactly what time the movies started, so went up to see the schedule and what movie I wanted to watch. They have these movies where you sit in seats that move, motion movies, or something. There was a demo so I tried it. Didn't like that at all.

No explanation necessary.

While I was looking around I noticed something about a Princess Diana exhibit, so I went to check it out. It was great. The exhibit is visiting from England (returns there in June) and has lots about her, her childhood and so much stuff. There are some of the dresses she wore and so much memorabilia, including many photos that her father took.

Always a princess.

At the Erskine Hospital, Bishopton (celebration).

There is a section of her humanitarian work, her schooling and short movies on her childhood which was interesting as she seemed like just a happy kid who grew up like many of us, except in a much richer surrounding.

Diana wanted to be a ballerina, but grew too tall (photo from Diana: a celebration).

The beauty who married an ass (celebration).

There is a lot about her wedding to the pompous ass Charles, who even took her to the horsefaced cow's home when she was married to her other husband. What kind of guy takes his date, and future bride to the home of his mistress? The ass and the cow deserve each other. What Diana got from her marriage was two boys, and I'm sure she thought all her misery was worth it.

Princess Diana deserved better than she got at the hands of some of the royal family … and I hope she had lots of happiness before she died. There was a short movie on her funeral and the reading her brother made. It was a sad day, and I remember it well. I was on a motorcycle vacation with friends and didn't believe them when they told me she had been in a car accident and died. I shed tears for the Princess as did so many others who did not know her personally but felt a tie to her somehow.

From there I went to see The Journey 2, the Mysterious Island, with Dwayne, the Rock, Johnson. It was a good show, and I was wishing I'd checked to see if it was in 3D. It would be a great movie in 3D.

The airport was the next, and hopefully, last stop for the night. I'm getting pretty good at getting the bus from the mall to the airport. Like I know what I'm doing.

This time going through security I had to remove any gels from my bag and put them in Ziplocs. First time … toothpaste, makeup, sunscreen. Don't know why it happened today.

So I'm at the airport now, trying to get on a flight. The first one was full, but there's another one in a few more hours. I'll try again. If not, back to the Super 8 for the night.

The end of the NASCAR,run, March 3, 2012

I made it home. The later flight was the one, and I was so happy to get on. Of course, there was a youngster that pretty much screamed the entire way. I'm sure his or her ears were hurting, but it was a hard trip for nearly six hours. I had some earplugs in my purse, but even those only cut the screams by a little. When the child would quit I'd try to go to sleep and think I got a little shut eye which is the only thing that helped.

I got in around 1 a.m., an went to sleep for a few hours, all snuggled in with the Beagles. It was good to be home.

At 9 a.m.I headed downtown for the Ladies of Harley breakfast at a new place called the Greatland Grill, at 137 West 5^th Avenue, between A/B and C. A couple of our HOG members are involved with it, and the food was really good and plentiful, which is always a plus with HOG people. Yummy.

After that an officer meeting then home to get ready for the Running of the Reindeer, which is a Fur Rondy event that's gone on for a few years. This year some of us HOGs decided to do it, so we dressed up in pink, and had pig visors, ears or masks. We'd made tails out of large pipe cleaner material we'd painted pink and pinned them on.

Look at the poor crippled pig ... tail must have gotten caught in a car door.

The HOGs were part of the group/couples herds and off we went down Fourth Avenue, trotting, running, walking. They give the people a headstart, and then you hear over the PA system, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. And the reindeer are turned loose. They charge down the street, which has pretty much ankle-deep snow, so it's not easy to run or walk in. And here they come, running, running, running, to get to the end of the run, which certainly seemed like about 12 blocks. In actuality, it was three blocks, but they were VERY long blocks. It was so much fun, with people dressed up in lots of different costumes, laughing and hollering. We were carrying on too, “weeeeee, weeeeee, wee, wee, weeeeeeee, and I kept saying, “Eat reindeer, 10,000 pigs can't be wrong.” It was a blast. We had lots of photos taken, so who knows where we will show up.

Here piggy, piggy, piggy.

Then it was some late lunch and home for me. I picked up a bug, a cold I guess, and decided rest was in store for me for a few days. All in all, it was a great day.

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, March 1, 2012

So what do you do in a Super 8 hotel room? I have my computer, my Iphone and free Wi-fi. I have coffee, but it's sure not on the standard I'm used to with Jaz making her French press Kaladi coffee and Elaine's Costco coffee (which happens to be one of my favorites) which I shared with my panel of NASCAR experts. But I have settled for what is in the room so I don't need to go downstairs to the breakfast room.

Room coffee had to do for me today.

Blogging is what I've been doing although there's not much for photo back up.

I looked out of the room window this morning, and it really doesn't lend itself to great photo support either. It's still the same weather I can have at home.

Not so nice here either in Minneapolis.

But I found this site with one of the NASCAR drivers I've decided to follow. He's from Michigan, which is why I chose him, and seems to be a nice guy. He's also the one that was tweeting during the red flag at the Daytona 500 race the other night.

I wanted to look at his tweets, although I wasn't sure what I was doing. I found a website for him. Bradracing.com, and went there. He's got lots of followers, so I decided to be one, too. Why not? He's from Michigan, his car is Number 2 and is blue with yellow trim, Alaska state flag colors. Plus I can get to him on Facebook. In fact I went out there and posted a couple of photos I had of him that I took at Daytona. They're not great, but they are him, and someone “liked” them. So I'm good with that.

Brad is the blue car with the yellow trim, Number 2.  Go, Brad.

So, birthday today. Coffee in bed and I'm working on the blog. I'm heading to the Mall of America in a while, then out to the airport to see if I can get on the flight home tonight. If not, I'll try again tomorrow.

What I did discover is that what I had carried in my purse is not working. I brought make up but no applicator, an eyelash curler but no mascara, and no lotion. Halfassed is what I call that. Next time I will also throw a pair of underwear in. I had to rinse it and use the hairdryer to dry it enough to wear. I need to be a little more prepared for standby travel. But I'm still grateful just to be flying on Hobbs's passes.

So, off with the blog and onto the Mall of America.

When I got to the Mall, I decided lunch was the first thing I needed to do. But to get there I had to cross the amusement park area. There was a roller coaster. Actually, there are a couple of them, but no coasters for me today. I had a couple of missions already … a birthday lunch and I had discovered there is such a thing as a Peep Store, so I had to check it out, and I wanted to go to the Sealife Center.

One coaster I did not do this trip.

I also passed Lego Land, which always impresses me because it's unbelievable what they can do with legos. Who knew?

These lego animals are so impressive.

This was a favorite, too.

As I looked up I could see that there were restaurants above on the third level, and I spotted a Bubba Gump's. I'd been wanting to go there since I'd seen one in San Francisco last year, so that's where the birthday lunch was. I had a special drink, mango lemonade, a fancy shrimp dish, and the staff sang happy birthday to me, and brought me a chocolate sundae. It was great.

My birthday drink, mango lemonade, a slushie actually, and the bottom of the glass flashes.

Headed for the Sealife Center since I like to see the fish, turtles, rays, and sharks, and whatever else they might have. Turns out there was a jellyfish special show, and it was really neat to see all difference types of jellyfish.

There were all kinds of jellyfish, and it was a very cool exhibit.

There were also garden eels, which were very cool, and pop up out of the sand, and many different kinds of seahorses.

These little eels look like worms.  They stick their heads up out of their sand holes, and wiggle back and forth.  They were actually pretty cute.  I'd never heard of them before.

I've always liked seahorses and the Center had several different types.  These two photographed quite well with my Iphone.  I only used it for photos since I was too lazy to get out my big camera.  Iphone did a pretty good job with all of these photos today.

Rays or skates are some of my favorite sea creatures.

Left the mall and headed to the airport to see if I could get on the flight. Might as well have stayed at the mall as the flight was oversold and they first offered $400, then $600 to get some folks to give up their seats. No standby people getting on this time.

Decided to get the blog up and discovered I couldn't get into my e-mail so I could get the photos I'd sent myself from my phone. Took them today at the mall since I didn't want to use the big camera. Mistake. It seemed easier to do it this way at the time. My e-mail was restricted, so had to spend time on the phone trying to get it fixed. Got 'er done. Folks at GCI were very nice.

So I headed back to the hotel and will try again tomorrow. I'm thinking another trip to the mall might be a good thing. Take in a movie, and who knows what else.

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 28, 2012

Joe and Verlie had gone to Orlando Monday night after the race as they were heading home today. So just us chickens, James, Elaine, Jeff, Sue and me left.

Rest, relaxation and a little shopping. Oh yeah, and a Ruby Tuesday's for lunch. Lazy day.

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 29, 2012

Time to start heading home. I've had such a great time, but it now must come to an end. And there are always lots more good times coming.

What was left of the crowd took me to the Daytona airport, Jeff, Sue and Elaine. I wasn't sure if I'd get out, but needed to start working it. I got out of Daytona, and even out of Atlanta. I'd met a young lady who was also trying to get home to Anchorage. Her husband is with the Anchorage Police Department so we'd struck up an airport passenger friendship. When we got to Minneapolis we hit a brick wall. There was only one flight out to Anchorage and it was already gone. The flight on Thursday didn't look good either, but there were two flights on Friday and Saturday that looked okay.

Need to stop and smell the flowers, and just relax.  But believe me, these flowers aren't in Minneapolis.  It looks kind of like home, with snow and mush everywhere, and gray outside.  Feeling right at home.

We talked about it and she decided to try to get to Seattle and buy a regular ticket on Alaska Airlines and fly home. So I decided to get a hotel and try again tomorrow. Besides, the Mall of America is here and not far from the airport. How much of a hardship can it be to have to go there to entertain myself?

When I phoned home, Hobbs said I should just go to Phoenix and do the NASCAR races there and then come home. Fur Rondy and Iditarod was really filling up the flights so it was going to be difficult. Good idea. But when I thought about it, I didn't have enough blood pressure meds with me. I only have two days left and some in my luggage, that is somewhere. Don't know if I have any at home, so decided the best option for me would be to just try to get home.

I know I've missed my obligations, a pig party at the shop Thursday night, bummer, and a tour of the Southcentral Power Project at Chugach that I really wanted to go on. Maybe they'll let me go at another time.

So, in for the night. Tomorrow's another day.