I had to lock up Ittik. She gave me 'tood" because we weren't sitting in First Class. After begging and pleading like a four year old, she was allowed to ride in the compartment near my knees, gently reminding her not to kick me or she'd spend the flight in the overhead compartment, with duct tape over her lips.
Izzy on the other hand loved sitting in the cattle cart seat until the Air Hostess explained to her that HusBob could not stand in the aisle the entire flight. She asked for an eighth of a one eighth tab of Valium. I didn't pack them so how about an eighth of an eighth of Ginger Ale? Easy breezy, more than that and she'll have to go peesy.
Our flight left on time. HusBob at the window seat, I'm middle and a lady from Palmer, Alaska on her return trip from visiting kinfolks in Too Hot for Me Dallas on the aisle.
Lame movies on the screen - a Chick Flick (yuck) and then a twenty-something Dude Flick. Not my kind of humor so I opted to read The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.
When you're in a giant tube at 36,000 feet, flying close to the speed of sound for six hours, fifty five minutes, with not much else to do besides wait for your complimentary can of beverage, you can go stir crazy. I'm already mental so I'll try to sleep, read, listen to music, small talk with neighbor, crane to see something out of the window, play Frisky Kitten with HusBob or go pee. So out of the eight options I read, listened to music, craned and took Izzy to the bathroom. People looked at me oddly, I don't know why. Was it because she lead the way, that she had to pee or because I went in with her?
Izzy on the other hand loved sitting in the cattle cart seat until the Air Hostess explained to her that HusBob could not stand in the aisle the entire flight. She asked for an eighth of a one eighth tab of Valium. I didn't pack them so how about an eighth of an eighth of Ginger Ale? Easy breezy, more than that and she'll have to go peesy.
Our flight left on time. HusBob at the window seat, I'm middle and a lady from Palmer, Alaska on her return trip from visiting kinfolks in Too Hot for Me Dallas on the aisle.
Lame movies on the screen - a Chick Flick (yuck) and then a twenty-something Dude Flick. Not my kind of humor so I opted to read The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.
When you're in a giant tube at 36,000 feet, flying close to the speed of sound for six hours, fifty five minutes, with not much else to do besides wait for your complimentary can of beverage, you can go stir crazy. I'm already mental so I'll try to sleep, read, listen to music, small talk with neighbor, crane to see something out of the window, play Frisky Kitten with HusBob or go pee. So out of the eight options I read, listened to music, craned and took Izzy to the bathroom. People looked at me oddly, I don't know why. Was it because she lead the way, that she had to pee or because I went in with her?
Just a few pictures once we entered Alaskan airspace. My second trip and it's over the wing section...again. One of these trips, I'll see the glaciers below without wings.
"Folks, we'll be landing in twenty minutes. In Anchorage, skies are party cloudy, temperature at 65 Fahrenheit, 18 Celsius. Anchorage time now is 8:22PM. We hope you've had an enjoyable flight and thank you for flying
Airlines. Ladies, please ready for landing."
Giddy. Cuz I know where I'm going. To see King Mountain that stirs something within me, the wooded valley of Girdwood, the small hamlet of Hope with The Infamous gold miner called Goldrush Peck. Reindeer Hotdogs on the streets of downtown, swimsuits on a glacier and my beloved Chugach Mountain Range.
HusBob has that "Vacation Spring" in his step despite carrying all the luggage. Anchorage's Airport is a breeze to maneuver. Get off the plane, turn right. Baggage Claim to the left. Gate out is straight on with one turn to the left - WHUUUUT? The World Cup is on the screen and folks are stopping mid-step to see the results at 43 minutes into the deciding game. I'll watch it on You Tube because my goal is towards the Jones Family. The Hog Family, my extended Family, waiting after the final right turn...
Now it's been three summers since I last laid eyes on my friends. The boys: Joseph, Travis, Daniel and Shane and their parents Bill and Michelle. We met on Isla Mujeres four years ago.
In five...I see Joseph standing tall like a Birch Tree -
four...I'm waving both hands over my head like a gorilla -
three.. hugs around my neck and middle by Danny and Shane
two...Michelle and I are hugging and rocking side to side -
one...the gang's all here!!!!!!
Giant group hug - folks smiling at our reunion - luggage forgotten - Ittik up to her usual self trying to be seen and Izzy making eyes at Shane.
Michelle, my sweet, creative, spoil you rotten Michelle. Just as I left her. Sunshine on two legs. I missed that winning smile, that little girl laugh and those soft blue eyes. I
love her like a sibling, only her tan keeps fading. A bit of our Texas sun will
clear that right up.
I looked forward to a moustashy face hug from Bill and he didn't disappoint. His moustache is thicker than I remember, his eyes are happy, his smile sincere. Bill was especially happy to see HusBob, now referred to as Uncle Bob. Male bonding time for the both of them. Toss in the boys and it's a Testosterone Throwdown.
And my boys, my boys.
Joseph - tall, slim and a survivalist in the making. Camo pants, white t-shirt and size fourteen boots. Dark eyes always thinking.
Travis - what a transformation! From shy to military stature with a buzz cut as proof. I see Travis commanding a great army of men in the planes of the skies.
Daniel - blonde, sweet, innocent heartbreaker three years ago, now at that awkward 'tween' stage. Oh the girls will melt soon enough. By the way, he goes by Danny.
Shane - Tiny jokester then, still a ham with better jokes. Growing like the Alaskan Fireweed, carefree with a touch of an old soul residing behind his smile.
My adopted family in my grasp, Bob by my side, Alaska waiting beyond the doors. And five trolls waiting to get into mischief. I started the mischief early by piercing Danny's ear with a fork. A pink plastic earring fork. His parents were cool with it since it's used as a gag. I also started the Catz Wuz Here Game. For two weeks, the boys would have to find the sticker tickets placed in the house, on road trips, at their cabin, etc. Each one worth $5 and used only once. They would have to show me where they found it, have me take a photo of them with the sticker and collect the cash. I'm kind of a Fun Aunt Catz.
Gibber gabber on the ride from the airport, a quick supper, lemonade spiked with Fire Whiskey and more spirited talk into the night. The kitchen clock said it was after 3:30AM when we decided to catch some sleep, all with thoughts of great times ahead.
Airlines. Ladies, please ready for landing."
Giddy. Cuz I know where I'm going. To see King Mountain that stirs something within me, the wooded valley of Girdwood, the small hamlet of Hope with The Infamous gold miner called Goldrush Peck. Reindeer Hotdogs on the streets of downtown, swimsuits on a glacier and my beloved Chugach Mountain Range.
HusBob has that "Vacation Spring" in his step despite carrying all the luggage. Anchorage's Airport is a breeze to maneuver. Get off the plane, turn right. Baggage Claim to the left. Gate out is straight on with one turn to the left - WHUUUUT? The World Cup is on the screen and folks are stopping mid-step to see the results at 43 minutes into the deciding game. I'll watch it on You Tube because my goal is towards the Jones Family. The Hog Family, my extended Family, waiting after the final right turn...
Now it's been three summers since I last laid eyes on my friends. The boys: Joseph, Travis, Daniel and Shane and their parents Bill and Michelle. We met on Isla Mujeres four years ago.
In five...I see Joseph standing tall like a Birch Tree -
four...I'm waving both hands over my head like a gorilla -
three.. hugs around my neck and middle by Danny and Shane
two...Michelle and I are hugging and rocking side to side -
one...the gang's all here!!!!!!
Giant group hug - folks smiling at our reunion - luggage forgotten - Ittik up to her usual self trying to be seen and Izzy making eyes at Shane.
Michelle, my sweet, creative, spoil you rotten Michelle. Just as I left her. Sunshine on two legs. I missed that winning smile, that little girl laugh and those soft blue eyes. I
love her like a sibling, only her tan keeps fading. A bit of our Texas sun will
clear that right up.
I looked forward to a moustashy face hug from Bill and he didn't disappoint. His moustache is thicker than I remember, his eyes are happy, his smile sincere. Bill was especially happy to see HusBob, now referred to as Uncle Bob. Male bonding time for the both of them. Toss in the boys and it's a Testosterone Throwdown.
And my boys, my boys.
Joseph - tall, slim and a survivalist in the making. Camo pants, white t-shirt and size fourteen boots. Dark eyes always thinking.
Travis - what a transformation! From shy to military stature with a buzz cut as proof. I see Travis commanding a great army of men in the planes of the skies.
Daniel - blonde, sweet, innocent heartbreaker three years ago, now at that awkward 'tween' stage. Oh the girls will melt soon enough. By the way, he goes by Danny.
Shane - Tiny jokester then, still a ham with better jokes. Growing like the Alaskan Fireweed, carefree with a touch of an old soul residing behind his smile.
My adopted family in my grasp, Bob by my side, Alaska waiting beyond the doors. And five trolls waiting to get into mischief. I started the mischief early by piercing Danny's ear with a fork. A pink plastic earring fork. His parents were cool with it since it's used as a gag. I also started the Catz Wuz Here Game. For two weeks, the boys would have to find the sticker tickets placed in the house, on road trips, at their cabin, etc. Each one worth $5 and used only once. They would have to show me where they found it, have me take a photo of them with the sticker and collect the cash. I'm kind of a Fun Aunt Catz.
Gibber gabber on the ride from the airport, a quick supper, lemonade spiked with Fire Whiskey and more spirited talk into the night. The kitchen clock said it was after 3:30AM when we decided to catch some sleep, all with thoughts of great times ahead.
Next installment: HusBob's Birthday