Adventures of AlaskAngie

Three things of great color-related joy:

1. I ordered a camera on line about a month ago and it’s finally arrived!! This, of course, is my replacement camera since a bad man decided to walk into my house in the middle of the night and take mine. Jerk. I’m very happy with my new Panasonic Lumix and you all should be looking forward to loads of new photos! In the first 24 hours of its arrival, I took and uploaded 180 photos. I really know how to make up for lost time.
2. My hair is getting darker without the summertime sunlight it’s grown accustomed to in Oklahoma. Yesterday, in fact, I had a woman walk up to me while I was on the docks waiting to meet people for my tour group. As she lingered next to me for about 10 minutes, I could see out of my peripherals that she was looking at me. I finally asked her if she was with my tour group and she responded that she wasn’t. “No,” she said. “I’ve just been staring at the front of your hair for a few minutes now and wondering if the back was as curly as the front it.” While finishing her sentence, she proceeded to reach out and tousle a handful of my locks. [There is something all too unsettling about a complete stranger touching your hair, have you ever noticed?] Maybe the darker curls are more appealing…? (I miss the blond though, truth be told.)
3. With no Home Owners Association to dictate here, Juneau residents are free to paint their abodes in any shade(s) they desire. A few of my favorites I’ve spotted around town:

 neighbors across the street

(That green one with the red roof and purple deck is mine!)

I’m looking forward to posting many ‘a photos here…keep checking back!

Happy Friday, everyone!

I am a woman blessed with one-of-a-kind experiences, which will be proof enough at the end of my life that I lived fully and richly.

(Photography by Kayla Sherry)

Please take a moment to consult the map below. Study it hard, for there will be an essay question at the end:

This may look familiar to you, and if it does, please continue. If this does not seem like something you understand or recognize, stop reading my blog. The following is an actual conversation I had with a middle-aged woman (Rhonda) awaiting our tour departure this afternoon:

me: “So, where are you from?”

Rhonda: “The USA.”

me: “Oh really? Where abouts?”

Rhonda: “A state called Missour-ah. It’s in the very center of the United States.”

me: “I see.” Desperately looking for some comic relief, I asked another lady in tour group the same question. “And where are you from, ma’am?”

Other lady: “Just outside of Denver.”

me: “Ah, that’s neat.” (My mom says ‘neat’, which proves I’m becoming just like her.)

Other lady: “And what about you?”

me: “I was raised in southeastern Kansas actually.”

both women: “Oh, oo….” and other variations of the same sentiment.

Rhonda: “Kansas is right next to Missour-ah.”

me: “I know.”

—> Essay question: Do you know where ALASKA, USA is?

—> Bonus question: Do you know that people in ALASKA, USA speak the same language (English, as the majority), use the same currency (US dollars), and that you actually do not need your passport while in the state?

I’m not sure if Rhonda’s explanation was because I perhaps looked like I may not be well-versed in US geography, but I can tell you one thing: It’s folks like her who should really take advantage of their state’s motto.

Maybe Rhonda should instead start saying “Show Me a map. I’m a touch ignorant.”

Because it’s kind of funny, I wanted to share my current inventory in my cupboard here at the house:

• one slice of bread, the end heel
• half a jar of Fred Meyer crunchy peanut butter
• 2 packets of taco seasoning
• one packet of regular flavored oatmeal
• about half a cup of Fred Meyer Active Lifestyle lightly toasted rice and wheat cereal with strawberries
• one package of instant noodles
• one potato
• half a package of Lyon’s Rich Tea biscuits

And in the refrigerator:

• two eggs
• Tillamook cheese
• grapes
• lunch meat
• cherry tomatoes
• butter
• 3 tortillas
• fresh spinach

…and that’s it, folks.

I’ll go shopping tomorrow. In the meantime, and on a completely unrelated topic, check out this link I stumbled across yesterday on the BBC. We sure are a privileged society, especially all of us women:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7490775.stm

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It’s 48 degrees and rainy until Saturday in Juneau. You all enjoy your lemonade stands and swimming pools. I wear a hat, long johns, thick socks and sometimes 3 layers under my rain gear. And I love it!

Quickly, this is a sampling of the impressive fireworks show Juneau put on for the 4th:

*I ”borrowed” this photo from The Juneau Empire, our local newspaper.

Ferris Buhler was on one of my tours today. Not Matthew Broderick’s character (spelled Ferris Bueller in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”), but a man whose actual, God-given name is Ferris Buhler.

Upon greeting him, he said hello and told me his name was Ferris. I, of course, followed it up with “Buhler? Buhler?” He half-smiled, and half-chewed the rest of his sandwich.

“Mmhm,” he muttered, then swallowed. “Every day.”

*For those of you not getting my pop culture reference, see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/

—

There is a vendor down on the docks who sells our tour, among others, to cruise ship passengers who haven’t pre-purchased excursions. Her actual, God-given name is Julia Roberts. (Seriously though.)

—

And the piece de resistance of my celebrity-filled blog entry, I’m giddy to announce, is that I shared this July 4th with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart). Rumors started circulating around Juneau about the 2nd that H&C (that’s what I call them, obviously) and their very large white yacht were here in the capitol city to enjoy a serene holiday. Having several connections with the travel industry via tourism hosts and cruise ship personnel, I whole-heartedly trusted my sources when they told me the news. I kept an eagle eye out for the famous pair for three days, but never saw them. However, they were spotted at Wells Fargo (my friend Felix saw them there and shook hands with H) and we also know they stayed at the four star Baranof Hotel.

And, although I never saw them, I relish the thought that we (H, C, and A) will forever hold the same memories of stunning fireworks over the Gastineau Channel in Juneau, Alaska on July 4, 2008.

Tabitha and I found this sign at a local restaurant a few weeks ago, which also happened to be the first time I had ever enjoyed fish ‘n chips.

And then today, I took a break from work to see the end of the Independence Day parade in downtown Juneau with my housemates. From my family to yours, here’s wishing all of you a safe and happy 4th of July!

One: Today was our biggest day EVER for Alaska Canopy Adventures in Juneau, sending 242 paying customers through our zipline course in one day! (Not counting several comped employees from other tours in town who also went through the course today.) We’re having a big bash tomorrow to celebrate and I’m so proud to be working with and for this company!!

* In case you haven’t yet, check out our company website at www.alaskacanopy.com to see what all the rave is about. And, we were also rated “Number One ‘Most Mentioned Tour in Juneau’” a few weeks back, so that very exciting! We’re kind of a big deal.

And, two: My friend Trey was here a couple of weeks ago and today I was thinking about this photo we took of him and a cruise ship while he was here. The boy really can eat anything…

Have a great week, everyone!

Today my parents, Wiley and Judith, are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. In honor of these beautiful people, enjoy a few photos of them instead of listening to me ramble on about Alaska.

 While they courted

 June 28, 1963

 The auction when we sold our home in the country

 Christmas 2006

 Jetlagged in England

 Chatsworth House, UK

 London

 Front yard of the new house

 On their anniversary roadtrip to Branson last weekend

I love you guys so much. Happy Anniversary!

…keep waiting.

Downtown Juneau blanketed by a perfect rainbow.

(Thank you, Tabitha, for owning a camera.)