Last week - August 2011

 This is what David's freezer looks like for then next 3 months.  I spent a couple of days cooking all sorts of entrees and side dishes so David can have a home cooked meal when he wants one.

Thank goodness there is very little room left so David doesn't have to go buy groceries. 

We had a free Saturday so we rode into Anchorage (20 miles by bike route) to the Saturday Market. It was fun seeing all the tourist at the market.  Please note we are wet. It has been raining for about 10 days and this is new to me. I haven't had this much rain consecutively since I have been teaching up here.  But like the US Postal Service, no rain, wind, snow or sun will keep us from being outside and exercising. 

On our way home this beautiful rainbow greeted us as we entered Eagle River.  Spectacular wasn't it.  I can't remember the last time I saw a rainbow reach down and touch the ground.

Our social live as a wide range of activities.  Last Friday we went to dance classes.  It was part of the meetup.com activities.  This evening we learned the Hustle.  No it isn't the song you are thinking of but an actual dance. The steps are "and, one, two, three".  We all did well.  Well, actually I have two left feet and I have no rhythm.  I can do the foot work but once the instructor played "Brittany Spears or Usher" I couldn't listen to music and move my feet!  It was fun, we laughed all through the lessons and made some new friends.  We will continue to attend lessons and this week we will learn the salsa.  I am dancing with the instructor and Niki is looking on and laughing along with me.  She is a good dancer. 

On Sunday I convinced a group of friends to experience another "first".  At 9:30 am on Sunday morning we attended the Cowboy Church of Anchorage. I had heard radio advertisements inviting people to "come on in and join us".  It was awesome.  The ministers voice was wonderful and we could have listened to him all day long.  The minister was in beautiful ostrich cowboy boots, a huge belt buckle and a very attractive cowboy hat. The message of this week's sermon was "What to do when you have been really bad."  Do you think the minister knew I was going to attend the service?

This is the alter for the Cowboy Church. The church is held inside the Wayland Baptist University campus.  There is a horse saddle, roping rope, boots, chaps, cow skins, and then the minister played the guitar, another lady played the violin while her husband played the electric slide and someone playing the bass. The songs were wonderful, good sermon and it was fun!

And finally, my coveted Alaska Women's Tri-Patch.  This is the patch that I worked hard to earn. I participated in the Ski for Women, Bike for Women and the Gold Nugget Triathlon.  If you complete three out of the four All Female events you receive this patch. If you complete all four events your patch has a gold star embroidered on it.  Out of the 1600 women who participated in the Gold Nugget Triathlon, 208 ladies earned the gold star on the patch. 

I have completed two weeks of teaching.  This is my last year and will try to make each class fun and learn a bit.  I hope make each class fun by using my "Minute to Win IT " games.  I have taken class pictures and will get them on the blog soon.

Until then,

Have a safe Labor Day weekend

Hugs from the North

Sheryl the Nauq

Back in Alaska

Hello You'all, I am glad to be out of the horrible heat of Memphis.  Alaska has wonderfully low 70's and sunny and a couple of days of drizzle rain.  School has been in session for one week and teachers have been in session for over two weeks.  I have started my last year in Anchorage, Alaska and have jumped in to doing so many things already.
We took a drive to Hatcher's Pass to pick blueberries. The countrysides are spectacular with colors - blueberries, fire weed, pansies, marigolds, and so many dandelions!!!

 You may remember this same photo from Hatcher's Pass and the Mine. I bet not because it was covered in snow!

One of the many beautiful flowers on the mountainside.

A local man was preparing his parachute to hang glide off the side of the mountain. He told us it will take him about 30 mins to climb to the jumping off point. We wished him well.

We learned you can tell how many weeks of summer are left by looking at a fire weed. You can see there is about 5 inches of the stalk still not bloomed so there is about a month left in Hatchers Pass.  The fire weed plants in Anchorage are completely bloomed and I hate to think our summer is over.  There is still 20 hours of sunlight. How can summer be over???

This is the park cabin where we pay our fees to park while we hike the area.

We found a fish camp with three usable cabins and one that can not be rented. The cabins had mattress and some left over cooking tools.  Not very luxurious but functional!

We found the fish camp toilet (a chair with not seat).  Much more than we had on the bear trip. Beth is sitting very carefully since one of the chair legs was 1/2 missing, Niki in the center and Kristen on the right. You have seen all these ladies because we did the Bike race and Triathlon together.

 Tuesday after school it was so hot (75) and sunny with beautiful blue skies so we decided to drive to mid-Anchorage to climb Flattop Peak.  Flattop's elevation is 1700 feet and it is very high. There were plenty of people picking blueberries as we climbed. We met some really nice people on the mountain.  We climbed 1/2 way up and it took us a bit over an hour. We hope to concur the top of Flattop on another weekend day - when we don't have to get home and grade papers and plan lessons.

 Here are the three ghost ladies on their way to climb Flattop.  We are holding our hiking poles!

 We are taking a photo op at the first level.

 Here we are about 1/2 way up the peak.

David and I joined Jenna, Jason, Aude and Nicolas and the children in San Francisco this summer. Fourth of July was hot and we all got sunburned.

 We spent the day in Salsalito. It was such fun and we had some yummy food and delicious desserts. The kids loved Alcatraz and the fireworks on the bay.

There was a gentleman who stacked rocks on the bay side in Salsalito. Pretty amazing - yes?

 When I returned to Anchorage, I attended Elise's 5-year-old birthday party.   We had such fun. The kids participated in a "Wipe Out" course outside and then had birthday cake. Elise has been introduced to the ice cream truck this summer so her wish was to have the ice cream truck bring the ice cream to her party. It was delicious.

 Addie enjoyed watching her sister open her presents but Addie was very interested in the "Ice cream truck" cake that her mom made for the party.

David and I spent a weekend with Poli and Bruce at Lake Norris. Bruce has mastered the art of driving the boat with his feet!

This was the sunset on our way back to the floating house for the evening.

So here begins my 3rd and last year of Sheryl's great adventures in Alaska.  I offer an open invitation to any of you to come and see the most beautiful state in the US.  I will try to have some great adventures starting with camping in Mt. McKinley (Denali) park, a float trip with fly fishing and a halibut charter tour.  I will be sharing all my activities with you as the year progresses.  My students are so thrilled to have school back in session and they can't wait to start playing "Minute to Win It" at the end of class.  I wish all of you a wonderful fall and may the weather get cooler for you soon.  I will be with my family again at the end of September for my nephew's wedding.  I wish Chris and Kari all the best and wonderful start of great memories.

Have a great September. 

take care

Nanuq of the North

Sheryl