Why are you staring?

WE MADE IT!!!!

Okay, so we get up at 0445 the morning of September 30th. Keep in mind this is later than we wanted to wake up but yet is par for course where I am concerned. We get to the airport and go through security and wouldn't you know it I get selected for "extra screening". Anyone who looks at my picture knows that everything about me just SCREAMS terrorist! I mean, I get a little pissed off sometimes but nothing that would ever fit into the category of terroristic anything.

After I am done getting felt up and wanded and the nice man behind me finished digging through the underwear in my carry-on bag, I join my family at the gate. Oh yeah...they left me. We had four minutes before take-off and wouldn't you know we were at the farthest gate from where I was standing. So I had to run. Not a runner. Damn sure not a runner at 5 a.m..

We landed in Cincinnati and hurried like O.J. in a Hertz commercial to get to our next flight. We were supposed to have an hour and a half or something like that before our next flight and we probably did but I am convinced that time in airports has a different value than it does in other places. For example, a minute standing outside an occupied bathroom door when you have to "go" seems like an hour, and hour and a half in an airport seems like roughly 17 seconds.

After the longest flight in the world sitting straight up (because we couldn't recline our seats...because we were in front of an f'ing exit row) we landed in the sunny, fun-filled city of Seattle. No wonder people are depressed there. Oh yeah, and the "grunge-look" that inundated the country when Nirvana went mainstream? It's not a "look", it's how people stay warm. The flannel shirt hanging out from under a sweater, jeans over leggings, Doc Martens, an oversized jacket, and a cold weather hat with a tassle on each side and the top is standard fashion fare. Seattle people have to get to the airport early 'cause you can't run after a flight in that stuff.

Next we hop onto Alaskan Airlines for the last leg of our flight. Some of the Alaskan Airline flights have a big native guy head on the side. I was convinced it was Jerry Garcia. There were plenty of seats to choose from so that was cool, there was no movie which is okay because if after the "Herbie" movie I decided I was done with screen dwelling entertainment. The best thing is that after two flights filled with Chex Mix and Sunchips we finally got a barbeque sandwich. If I had been served a sandwich like that in a restaurant I would probably burn the place down so they didn't do that to anyone else but in this case it was the best barbeque sandwich I had ever eaten.

We get into AK and go below the clouds and see mountains...well John saw mountains...I was on the swamp side I think. We landed, got our animals, got a ride home with our neighbors and I have to tell you that Alaska is the most beautiful place I have ever seen! It is absolutely gorgeous! I went to the base and saw four moose. You know what moose look like? Walter Matthau! No kidding!

We only have a tiny bit of snow right now and I don't care if someone drops a bag or flour on the road and it just looks like snow I won't drive in it. Am I scared? Heck no. I'm terrified. We have studded tires but I don't care. I'm going to walk everywhere, in the winter, and a car will eventually slide off of the road and smack me. In a state where everything outside your front door can eat you, driving should be the least of my worries.

I have to go for now but will be back very soon. Probably sooner than you'd like.

posted by Shannon Land Post @ 8:55 AM