Day 494: Skagway

The population of Skagway is 968. During the summer season it doubles, but back during the height of the gold rush the population of Skagway was as high as 30,000.

In comparison to Ketchikan’s 152 inches of rain a year, Skagway averages 27 inches.

The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad – built during the Klondike Gold Rush – is an “International Civil Engineering Landmark” and shares honors with the Eiffel Tower, the Panama Canal, and the Statue of Liberty.

Since we’ve ridden the railroad more than once we skipped it this time around. We did lots of other things. I went swimming again, all alone in the deserted pool. We went into town to find the quilt shop.

When I walked in I realized I had been in there on my last trip. That didn’t stop me from buying some penguin fabric at 50% off.

We hunted down a Thai food place that was supposed to be delicious (and devoid of tourists). Several of the ship’s crew members were eating in there. While I snapped a picture our egg roll appetizers I neglected to take one of our sweet and sour chicken as we dug in before I even thought about it.

But the picture that did me in? It wasn’t the beautiful view on the way up to the Yukon Territory.

It wasn’t the bear that was so close to the window that I couldn’t get a picture of the whole thing.

It was this one right here. Oh God. Take a step. Oh God. Take a step. Oh God. Take a step. But boy, such a beautiful picture!

Why all the Oh God-ing? Well it would be because that picture came from standing in the middle of this bridge:

This afternoon was the time to overcome my fear of heights. I walked all the way to one side of the suspension bridge and all the way back across the same bridge. No one to hold my hand, no one to cheer me on. Just me and my fears. (Did you know suspension bridges move when people walk on them? Yikes.) But whew, check that one off my list!  

Day 493: Juneau

Juneau, the capital of Alaska, is only accessible by land or water. You can’t drive to get here! It’s the largest state capital by land area and the only one that borders a foreign country.

Today we originally planned on finding a quilt shop and riding the Mt. Roberts Tramway. But with today being a rainy, cold day we decided to not go ashore. (Knowing we’re coming back this way next week made the decision easier.)

Instead, yesterday’s pool again called my name, and the library has some very comfortable chairs.

Free room service and lots of newer movies on the television made for a nice afternoon since the view out the balcony wasn’t so warm looking.

Day 492: Ketchikan

Some facts about Ketchikan:

• It’s known as Alaska’s “First City” because it’s the first stop when cruising the Inside Passage.
• With 7,000 people it’s Alaska’s sixth largest city.
• It’s the “Salmon Capital of the World” with five different species of wild Pacific salmon found in the surrounding waters.
• Ketchikan is home to the largest collection of totem poles in the world.
• It receives over 152 inches of rain a year.

Having visited Ketchikan several times before, we didn’t feel the pressure of having to get up and off the boat immediately.  We had a beautiful early morning look out our door.

Everyone else left the ship right away, leaving the pools completely deserted. Lucky me, getting to have this gorgeous place to myself! 

We did venture into town for a Lumberjack show. I snapped several pictures but the best one was of the log roll. What looks like snow really is water splashing.

But the even better picture occurred while I was sitting there. Look to the sky, grab the camera and hope for a good shot. I think I got it.

Day 491: At Sea

Today was our first full day at sea. What does one do when you are on a cruise ship all day? As you can imagine, it had something to do with food.

It started with a beautiful morning on the balcony and some room service. I've never seen melons chopped so small!

Then we headed out to watch a fruit carving. What talent! But I kept thinking, I could use those in my juice.

Today was a special British pub lunch. Bangers and mash were on the menu but we opted for the fish and chips with mushed peas. It was all so delicious - even the peas. I cleaned my plate.

It was formal night for dinner. Since we ate in the main dining room it was a four course meal. My choices:

Appetizer - Crabmeat quiche.

 Soup - Chicken wonton.

Main entree - Seared halibut on a bed of swiss chard.

Dessert - Strawberry cheesecake.

I made sure I did not clean my plate. What a load of food!

We then stopped by as they were putting the finishing touches on the champagne waterfall. We passed on partaking.

I did partake in their Mai Tai drink special of the day when we attended the comedy show.

Then as I was loading all the pictures into the computer tonight, hubby spied a humpback whale right off our balcony.

A very full (and filling) day.

Day 490: Island Princess

You can follow our cruise with the Island Princess webcam.

The first cruise we ever took was for our 20th anniversary. Only rich people cruised but we wanted to celebrate right for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Except the once-in-a-lifetime trip has become a once-every-few-years trip. Our favorite cruise line is Princess and we're back with them again.

Island Princess to Alaska. Two weeks of rest and relaxation. And not just in one of the tiny inside cabins we usually book. We got a call a few days ago that we were being upgraded to a balcony cabin at no extra cost.

We feel so lucky that we're able to be here on this Independence Day. Happy 4th of July!

Day 489

I thought today I'd get an amazing picture. Remember all those windmills from Day 24? I'm kind of obsessed with those wind turbines. I've seen them being hauled down the road in pieces for years now. I've always wished I could catch one of the pieces stopped at a rest area so I could snap a picture, but they have always eluded me. But at Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, British Columbia they have a turbine tour. That tour goes into a glass viewing station at the top of the turbine!

But hubby still isn't doing much but sleeping so we didn't go. Maybe I'll get to do the wind turbine when we return.

My fear of heights might get me anyway. Just standing on the balcony of our Vancouver hotel room is enough to give me the heebie jeebies. 27 floors from the ground is plenty high.

Day 488

So I thought the excitement was beginning.

The plan was to drive to Seattle and spend the night. In the morning head to Pike Place Market with all the great fruits, veggies and flowers. Chase down a juice bar up the street. Hit a Starbucks for hubby and La Panier (my favorite french bakery) for me. Go back to the hotel for the afternoon and rest up until the evening Seattle Mariners baseball game.

That plan didn't happen.

Hubby hasn't been feeling well so we only made it as far as Yakima. He's had plenty of time to rest but now we'll be missing the Market. We will be hitting the baseball game tonight, though.

So instead of an exciting day full of pictures of flowers and fresh produce in Seattle, you get to see a picture of what I stared at for a chunk of the day yesterday. It'll have to do until I can (hopefully) take exciting pictures at tonight's game.

The texture of the ceiling in the hotel room is something I've never seen before. Bigfoot must have been the one assigned to the job.

Okay, it's post game and I do have some more pictures.

A couple of Safeco Field...

 The Mariners Moose

 See the ball in this one?

 Strike!

And of course we can't forget the guy selling hot dogs...

Day 487

July 1, the self-imposed quilt deadline. Despite all the grumblings this week about math class, work-related phone calls and e-mails, and too much chocolate, four quilts are headed out the door.

Now the excitement begins.

Day 486

I was lucky enough to see how much a mamma bird loved her baby.

Baby bird fell from the tree.

Momma bird coaxed her along in the grass until baby made it to the base of the tree.

Momma bird coaxed/pushed/encouraged baby to climb up the tree trunk.

Little baby bird clung to the tree with its little baby bird feet.

Baby bird made it to a branch. Then baby made it to the next branch and the next.

Momma kept coaxing/pushing/encouraging baby bird to keep hopping along the branch until she (I hope) made it back to her nest.

Day 485

I don't know why, but the soap inside the car wash this morning seemed interesting. Is there a story behind it? Nope. Just lots of wild colors.

Day 484

I woke up with a hangover today. A chocolate hangover.

I was getting groceries last night and saw that M&Ms were on sale. On the pack it was advertised that if you bought three bags you got a free movie ticket. So I just had to buy three bags.

One of those bags wound up next to my sewing machine. Last night as I worked on some quilting, I'd stop ever so often and eat a few M&Ms. It probably wouldn't have been so bad except I worked late into the night. Like until midnight or so. I don't know how many I ate (and am afraid to even pick up the bag), but the way my body was feeling this morning I have a feeling I ate a lot.

A chocolate hangover. I'm not a big chocolate fan but by mindlessly eating I consumed more than I would by choice.

There's only one cure for feeling icky in the morning. An ice cold glass of green juice. Kale, celery, parsley, bell pepper, green apples, kiwi, and cantaloupe. Snapple isn't the best stuff on earth. Today's juice is.

Day 483

Three days of math class, three days of problems taking 90 minutes. Here's today's 90 minute math problem:

26 x 18 =

I think I don't belong in this class - I keep thinking don't make me do another number line or boxes or "decompose" or "compensate" the numbers. (Both words I never heard being related to math before taking this class.) Let's get this problem solved and move on.

Some folks seem to enjoy the class. I'm sure a lot has to do with the fact they'll have to turn around and teach these strategies and models to their students, but for me with no classroom and no reason to be all that interested it makes for a pretty long day.

I'm not the only one with a long day. One minute the cat has claimed the coffee table and the next she's parked herself under it. What a cat.

Day 482

84 + 38=
107 - 88 =
62 - 19 =

If you had to guess, how long do you think we spent in class today solving these three math problems?
a. 1 minute
b. 5 minutes
c. 10 minutes
d. 90 minutes

D. 90 minutes.

With today's new type of math we have to show kids lots of different ways to solve math problems and the conventional way of lining them up and carrying/borrowing isn't one of them. What should take no more than a minute now takes a long time - and a lot of explanation - and lots of paper and lots of lines and boxes and arrows.

Between that drain brain of a day and another two (yep, 2) work-related phone calls, I took a nap tonight after dinner. Just like last night.

The only thing that saved me today was getting to see this out my bedroom window.

Day 481

The thought of getting these quilts to Alaska is what is keeping me moving forward. Although today I felt like I was stuck in the Twilight Zone.

Part of the problem is that I had this math class starting this morning and I SO didn't want to go. To keep my teaching certificate current I have to take this class. I've put it off for a couple years and can't wait much longer. So today it started.

An entire day - an entire week - of 30+ people crammed into a 5th grade classroom with 5th grade tables and 5th grade sized plastic chairs. By the time my eight hours was up today my back was done for. (Not to mention we spent an hour and a half working through one math problem. One problem, 90 minutes. Talk about brains being scrambled.)

And those work phone calls I was crossing my fingers and hoping I wouldn't get now that I'm done for the summer? I've had two so far.

No escaping anyone or anything. I'm so thankful I can sew!