Almost midnight in Anchorage

Last night I went out and took a few pictures at a time that I am usually sound asleep.

Even after sunset (11:42 PM last night) it stays light for awhile if the sky is clear. For example, at 12:30 AM I pulled out my pocket book and I could still read it outside.

It’s certainly bright enough for fishing or hiking and things like that.

The mountain to the left is called Sleeping Lady and shown just before sunset.

Below is the Anchorage skyline at 11:19 pm.

At 11:29 PM this favorite viewing spot out by the airport was filled with cars.

Even the ice cream man is here late to serve the families that gather to watch the sunset.

Going for the record?

As I scanned my mini-store card at checkout, the young lady said, “Do you travel a lot?” I said, “Yes, I do travel a bit but what made you ask that?”  She pointed to my key chain and told me I probably had a record number of these.

As I left the store I thought, “Wow, she said I might have THE RECORD.”

Besides the prestige and glory, consider the financial benefits? How about a TV spot where the RECORD holder of little scannable thingamajigs explains why he never leaves home without his Ace Rewards Card? (Ace is a newer one I got so I happen to recall that’s what they called their little cards.)  Anyone know if they’re all called reward cards?

Finally, though I didn’t tell that young lady (as I didn’t want to tip off the competion for the record) but I will tell you – I have even more of these reward cards or whatever they are on the RV.

Life has no CNTL Z (Undo) Command

…but what if it did?

This morning I happened to glance at the CNTL Z keys on my keyboard and thought, “What if life had an UNDO  command?” As I begin to reflect on the many mistakes and errors I have made (and I’m sure I remembered only a tiny percentage of them) I was quite sure then that life would have been much better with CNTL Z keys.

I came back to the idea again at lunch. Now I wondered if I would have had the wisdom to know when to use the UNDO.  I thought of the number of things that I had really wanted at some point, things that didn’t work out – and how lucky I was for that because I had really wanted some stupid things. And more importantly, I realized I could have inadvertently used CNTL Z on slight and seemingly innocuous and unrelated events that might have led to the obliteration of everything I now hold dear: my family,  my friends, and many fine memories.

By dinner I had come to think it was all probably for the best.  We will make mistakes. hope for forgiveness, move on and try to do better the next day.  The CNTL Z keys will now simply be there as a reminder for me to live each day as best as I can.

Back in Anchorage

I came back to Anchorage but Meg remained in Washington to spend more time with that new granddaughter.

Went out to Costco about noon to get a few groceries and some gas.  If you don’t live in Anchorage, you may notice something unusual about the photo?  No line!  Nice to be back in Alaska.

Heading back to Boise – a short Google stop

The new baby was doing great so this morning we bid farewell to our son, his wife and our new grandchild and headed south. Upon crossing the Oregon border we turned east to follow the Columbia River. Meg found this creative gate leading from a local community garden to the bike trail along the river.

I had others thing to check out. In the photo below is a huge two football fields long anonymous looking industial building.

However, inside is something you probably use every day. Inside, if you ever got access, you would find tens of thousands of Google data servers. This building uses Columbia River hydroelectric power, recycled cooling water and a bundle of advanced technologies to make it one the world’s most effient and environmentally friendly data centers. This all helps to ensure you get a response to your Google quiry almost instantaneously. Even standing right next to this building, would you have ever guessed what was inside?

And baby makes three.

We came to Washington to talk to our son and daughter-in-law about the coming events in August when their first child was expected.  This would be our very first grandchild and we were trying to figure out a way we could get in on some of the action

Guess what? This weekend the baby decided to show up early, so we were here for all the action. Now we officially carry the title of “Grandparents” though we will go by the German terms Opa and Oma in everyday use.

The above photo shows Mom and baby Madeline Elena. Just look at that little hand and those little fingernails! Madi weighed in at 4.0 pounds and she was 17″ tall. This June 17 (Father’s Day) will have a whole new meaning for our son. Baby, Mom, Dad and Grandparents are all doing well. What a surprise for everyone!

Idaho to Washington

We drove from Boise, ID to visit our son and his wife at their home just north of Olympia, WA.  Google Maps can be a great help in planning a trip like this but  be sure to adjust the estimate based on the urgency of your trip.

For example, Google  Maps shows this as a 9 hour drive. Your car will need a stop for gas and you’ll need some restroom breaks. You’ll probably want to eat also, whether you take a brief detour through the drive-thru window of a fast food place or stop for a nice, leisurely meal (or two).  We also carry a little ice chest with some cold drinks, cheese, and fruit for snacks along the way.  We learned from our long distance RV drives that we both feel better and enjoy the trip more if we stop periodically to stretch our legs. This can be at a view spot, an antique store, or even a local museum.  OK, this added almost three hours to our journey today, but we had a nice time even though it was a long drive.