A Rainy Memorial Day

Mt. McKinley

Train travel

A bear looking in the window ! ! ! When I saw this picture on daughter Pat's blog with a caption telling her brother John that it was a"'close call and don't worry nothing happened to the jeep." I almost had a stroke thinking she encountered bears and other wild animals on her 'rough roads'. My thoughts ran to she could have been killed, but she allayed my fears when she telephoned this morning to tell me it was 'stuffed bear' . . . wonder if there is a law against spanking your adult child?

Her conversation was animated and she has enjoyed every minute of her Alaskan holiday. She and her brother went on a seven hour train ride to Denali National Park only to find that the hotels were outside the park and then there were eight hour bus trips around the park to see everything there was to see. They just didn't have the time to do it right but what they did see they enjoyed. Pat had never been on a train before so it was a new experience for her and her comment was that she wanted the train to stop so she could visit some of the antique stores along the way. There was a feeling of 'old times' as some people hail the train and it does stop to pick them up. I gather it is not as primitive as we think. The northern lights were hidden from view as was Mt. McKinley. Pat had hopes of getting some pictures but unless it really clears between now and her Wednesday flight, she will have to rely on her brother to take pictures when and if he sees them as the days are long and bright until eleven p.m. She is more than ready to return to her dog Emma and her comfortable bed. I assured her that her little house is still standing but looking forlorn without her. She mentioned she had the best halibut fish tacos in the world up in Alaska, so Pancho's fish tacos may have lost their 'being the best in town' although I am betting in a few short weeks she will be happy to settle for the fresh fish tacos right here in her own back yard.



There must be a little dark cloud hovering over my place this week. I went out to push the hand mower as the grass was getting much too tall. I have a postage size back yard so it is not a problem for me to push the mower but being senseless I tried to mow wet grass and got nowhere. My neighbor, La Verne came over to see what was making such ungodly noise as I went over and over one spot until it showed yellow. I quit when I heard her say Chon was coming to cut her grass knowing he would come with his electric mower and cut mine in less than five minutes. Well he mowed her grass then came over to rescue me but as he went around the third time in a small circle his power motor gave up the ghost and I am left with a middle of high grass and a well trimmed circle surrounding it. Of course it is raining today so he most likely will not return to finish the job. I had hoped he would have time to do the large hedge but he didn't have gas for his electric trimmer. I didn't dare offer him hand shears as he might take offense at having to use rusty shears. I'll tread lightly today as I wash away the bird turd one more time. I keep singing "It's so nice to have a man around the house . . . " hoping one will knock on my door and do all those 'honey-do' jobs that are on my growing list. Why couldn't I have been born with a talent for fixing things? . . . the Good Lord knew what He was doing, I might have knocked a bearing wall down as my husband would attest to, as I walked by with a hammer in my hand, you can be assured he got up out of his comfortable chair with a verbal word or two and finally finished a long awaited job.

So today, Memorial Day, I am hoping for sunshine, good friends, delicious food and a cold beer or two is on your 'to-do' list today. As for me I'm cuddling with my book and hope to finish it today. Colleen McCullough wrote "The Touch" and it has been a very good read. Go . . . enjoy the day, all day, as work awaits tomorrow. Hugs to all.