September 8, 2008

My Dearest Pal and Hubby Celebrate 35 years!

Happy anniversary my special friends! As I write this, your are together, out to dinner, alone!
I am blessed to have y0u as my dear, sweet, loving friends and wish you another incredibly loving, wonderful and fun 35 years together. I am thinking of you on this cold, damp, rainy evening and hoping you enjoy a some intimate quiet time together after your long, busy, crazy summer. Much love to you both~ always.

Time of Get Out of Talkeetna!!!!

Okay, it has been WAY TOO LONG and all my pals think the Chief and I spent the entire summer in the beautiful and quaint little town of Talkeetna, Alaska from the update (or lack of updates) on the blog. We really came home and have been here since July. Really!
Life has a way of taking over in the priority of the day department, and the blog just hasn't rated high enough to get any attention.
So, now it is raining, windy, cooler, the Chief is hunting, the girlfriends are on the east coast touristing, shopping, drinking and dialing and calling me to share a restaurant story they just couldn't keep to themselves. I like it when we can share our drinking, I mean, er, dining experiences from all over the world. Reminds of the time Sooz and I crammed into a phone booth in the hotel in Rome, Italy, (yeah, we were really there!) after drinking wine and eating great food to call our sweet Nancy in Alaska. There is just something about girlfriends that can't be overlooked in the sharing department. Not only do we share the struggles, but rejoice in sharing our joy and fun! :) I love it when my pals think of me and call me when THEY are on vaca! Sure brigthened up my soggy Monday night to hear from those crazy gals having fun in the BIG APPLE!!! Way fun for them. I am so glad they are having a great time! Stay safe Alaskan chics!
Now it is fall in Alaska and the absent summer memories are, well, non-existent in the warmth and lots of sunshine department. I enjoyed a few nice days with the O.F. fishing, a LITTLE time at the lake , a very adventurous and great fishing trip across the inlet in the little Supercud, and a visit from a few friends. Still can't recall a crappier summer in a long time. Feels like we were cheated!! Oh well, there is always next year! I did rock and roll in the exercise department and must have put a thousand miles on the road bike. I feel like I could take on ZENA, warrior princess. Yeah, right. Maybe her Gramma! Zelda, old chewer of Musk Ox hides...
The pal and I also put on a gazillion miles walking our Spit road! It was so fun!
I am looking forward to a trip to visit family in Wisconsin later this year- they will be surprised to see the newer and leaner mr. and mrs. R from Alaska. It will be fun to go down there and play with the new little grand-neice, my little sweet Lauren, as well as the family. Packer game is on the radar as well, as are some performing arts to attend with whoever wants to tag along. It sure as heck won't be the Other Fisherman!
Speaking of the O.F., no L., not OLD FART, he left me with a little of the BEST smoked salmon that has ever been made in the little smoker. OMG! It is phenomenal! I bet I have never, ever had any so incredibly delicious. Thanks Pal!
And the other incredible goodie to be ate this summer was a duck sausage our friend Harrison, proprieter of the FRESH CATCH CAFE, made. WOW! We are talking death bed meal food here people.
Okay, the home laptop is D.O.A. Yep, not good news, so I am borrowing the master's. Maybe I can buy a new one with all the money the beautiful, soon to be VP, Governor Palin has bestowed upon each Alaskan this Friday who is eligible. Yup, $3,269 to each resident eligible. Darn, I love this state and Sarah Palin. BTW, she WILL be a great VP. I met her this summer and she is well, just an awesome woman! We are so proud of her and her family. Good luck to you my dear Governor Sarah, the wolves are not friendly, but if anyone can, she can handle them....
For now, I will say Ciao! Oh, I had a great weigh in tonight! Down 3.2 pounds!
Love, T

July 25, 2008

Our Train Trip to Talkeetna

Out on the "observation deck", the Chief has a cigar.

Chugach mountains with barely a hint of blue sky.

On the way up to the Matanuska Valley.
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All Aboard the Alaska Railroad!


Alaska Railroad Conductor says hi. "Come ride the little train that is going down the tracks to the junction......"
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SKY KING

A quick shot of SKY KING, a.k.a. Mark, as he flys off into Homer for a landing on Beluga Lake.
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TWO BLACK BEASTS!


At first glance, they just very well could be BIG BLACK BEARS!!! But really, those of us who know better recognize these two maruaders as Willie and Sibby. They are 9 years old this summer.
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SIGNS OF SUMMER IN ALASKA

My flowers in the front entry area are in full bloom.
A little patch of cottongrass waves fluffy balls of wispy hellos.
Another beautiful view from the party deck of Kachemak Bay and Grewingk Glacier.
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WILD SITKA ROSES EMERGE!


I look for these soft pink blooms each year with their delicate fragrance. They finally emerged on Hatfield Hill July 18th.
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July 5, 2008

THE VIEW FROM OUR FRONT PORCH

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Birds do it, Bees do it, even Alana's chickens do it!

I was not prepared to see this!


So, the black labs and I are out for the evening walk-about down our wonderful road. We are trucking along past the chicken coop and I hear this commotion.....humm.... what in the world is going on me wonders......????

Uggh, yeah, Mr. Rooster and one of his ladies were doing the nasty, right there in front of God and everyone!!! Never witnessed this sort of event. Was not sure if I needed to offer them a cigarette or what!

Too funny, this little event ends, they both shake off the dust, and both go their merry way. I guess I never even considered how eggs turn into chickens. Gosh, don't know if I will ever look at a chicken again in the same way!

Summer Sunflowers

Somewhere in America, these are grown.
I purchase them at the local Safeway and recall the hot, humid summers of Wisconsin.
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Dawg Daze of Summer

Summer time, and the living is easy.... if you are a Robl black Lab!
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JULY is here!

July!!! Can you believe it is JULY??
I am sitting here in my fleece jacket. Homer refuses to let the warmth of summer in this year, as it is has been so cool and cloudy.
I am tired of being cold all the time. Of course we refuse to turn the heat on, as it is SO expensive to buy fuel oil and just doesn't seem right to need to turn heat on in the summer, even in July!

The Robl family is now in the crazed KING SALMON FISHING mode. Currently the Other Fisherman, (that would be Mark for you who don't read my food column in the paper)is having us fish the evening tide change over. Starting tomorrow though, it is pre-nocturnal wake up call time and out in the boat by about 5 a.m. or so, so that means leaving a nice, warm, soft bed for a COLD,damp boat seat at about 4 a.m. It's okay though, as if it means we can fight a strong,huge king salmon in the ocean, that is whole point of this madness! These fish are incredibly fun to fight and catch and are a true sport fish.

Yesterday the Mark and Rob went out for the "shake-down" second run fishing trip.
Mark had one up to the boat, but it decided to turn tail, shake the hook and leave.
He and Rob both had suspicious "bumps", but came home only with a half eaten bag of potato chips! We will try again this afternoon and I will be going along.

Stayed tuned to big fun photos if we score!

June 29, 2008

The Last Week of June and What a Doozey it Was!

Wow!! This week pretty much will not be forgotten for a long time!
All in one short week I was notified I was on my way to Anchorage to compete in the Fish Alaska reader recipe contest at the end of September and already won a ton of great prizes, AND our awesome Governor Sarah Palin is scheduled to be a judge! Later in the week, I meet her! She is just so lovely. Mark gets kudos for this recipe, as he suggested it to be submitted and I wanted to poo-poo him for it. It is called "valley of ten thousand smokes shrimp and crab appetizer".
Hope it is a winner with the judges!

Then..... Marky flies the little Super Cub out to Bucky's lodge and lands on this little tiny lake called Skeeter Lake, (it is called that for a good reason he said!). He has always wanted to land his OWN plane on this lake. It takes a bit of skill and the right plane and conditions. He is really an excellent pilot. I love flying with him. Next time he goes to Buck's I will be in the back seat. Hopefully the skeeters will be gone for the season by then! Hate those little buggers!Buck's place is incredibly Alaskanishly beautiful. I have not been there for over 20 years and it still has a special place in my memory and heart.

Then...... Thursday I went to Soldotna at the request of my boss, the Senator, Gary Stevens, and we have a nice lunch together and then attend the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act meeting. He is an incredibly dear man, and I am so fortunate to work for him. Very smart and personable and so devoted to Alaska. I really enjoyed my time with him. While there, our Governor pops her head in and I go introduce myself to her. She is lovely, personable, more beautiful in person, tiny and petite and sharp as they come. She is darn smart!Wow, what an incredible woman. I did not have the nerve to get a photo and now wish I would have. We had a very nice conversation and I even told her I was in the Fish Alaska contest. She was so sweet and asked me what I was making. I told her the story of how I didn't want to submit the recipe I did, as I knew she was going to be a judge and didn't want her to dribble the sauce on her blouse! She laughed.

Okay, then Friday, Suzanne and I make a dinner date, get all cute and go to Wasabi's for drinks and dinner! We had a GREAT time and yummy meal. It is nice to get dressed up and be a girl sometimes! I did not bring the camera and should have. She has a new "DO" and it is so nice. All curly and blonde. She looks so good too in her little tiny and fit body. She is SO FIT! Looks like a million bucks and I am so proud of her accomplishments. She works hard to be this way. I am not as slim and fit as of yet, but on my way. Somehow I doubt God intended for me to be as FIT and TRIM as Sooz! I will love how I end up, as already i am a new Teri!

Friday night Sky King comes home and is so tired, he forgets the short conversation we have on Friday night after my date with Suzette. He loves flying that plane and find a new great spot to park it, much safer and more secure for it. He is happy. I am happy.

Saturday is Homer Spit Race day! Lynne and I and Suzanne all enter together. It was a beautiful hot and sunny day with NO WIND! I could not believe it! Surprised no one had heat stroke! Seriously, I was dying of HOTNESS! Eewww... sweat and everything. Yuck. So, Suz RUNS ahead and Lynne and I goof off and walk and jog and talk to people and take pictures and have a blast!
We made it all 6 miles in an hour and a half! Darn good! I would have NEVER thought I would be able to do this a year ago. I could hardly walk down our road without stroking out 6 months ago.
Wow! We had so much fun and what a great day it was. Got some fun photos of us 3 girls and some of our WW sisters! We rock pretty much!

After our race we went shopping at the Homer Farmer's Market and bought all this super fresh and organic and wonderful produce! It tastes so much better than the crap at the store! I love it there and the vendors are all so nice. We are so lucky to have this. It is a favorite place for summer in Homer and so appreciated!

Colin and Pam, half of the Caribou Hills Social Club, came over for a drink Saturday night. Mark and I ate .......PIZZA from Fritz Creek!!! Oh wow, oh wow, it was good!My first piece in 5 months. I could have ate the whole pie, but stopped at 2 slices. No wonder my stomach is in revolt today! It has not had pizza in way too long!

Sunday I finally tackled about 2 weeks worth of laundry! I even cleaned the bathroom!
I was going to mop the floor and then I started feeling kinda lousy and still do, so that was the end of the cleaning spree. Good grief, that floor will be dirty until fall at this rate. Willie and Sib always have their own little sand beach in front of their beds in the house, they track so much in. So funny!

Well, somehow I doubt this week will be half as eventful as last week, but in my life, you never know!

Pal Lynne and I are always finding and scheming fun stuff to do and see and shop for and eat!
Good night.

Oh, Alana, I hope you found the egg money under the rock on your porch! Thanks! I will hold you to the 3 eggs you owe me! I had a little talk with THE GIRLS and they said they want more greens or they will not put out. I will bring some down for them tomorrow!

sweet dreams Alaska!

Beautiful Summer Evening in Alaska

A drop dead view of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains and sky from our deck.














The sunlight back lit one of the nasturtiums on the front entry porch. It was really windy and rather chilly today. Tonight it is a balmy 49.
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BIG WEEK!!!

I just found out I was selected as a finalist in the Fish Alaska Reader Recipe Contest! Cook off is Sept. 28 in Anchorage and GOVERNOR Sarah Palin is a judge! I also met her on Thursday and let her know I was in the contest. She is a lovely lady for sure!















Momma and baby finally pay a visit one morning and I catch them on the camera!






My boss, Senator Gary Stevens. He is one of the kindest, nicest men I have ever met! We are at the AGIA hearing in Soldotna. I also met Governor Sarah Palin just prior to this photo and enjoyed meeting her so much. I did not have the nerve to ask for her photo, but should have! This would have really made my blog site pretty fun for the week! She is a very beautiful and personable lady, not to mention darn smart and way cool!












My red geraniums with the Kenai Mountains and Kachemak Bay in the back ground. This is at 9:30 on a Sunday night!
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June 24, 2008

A weekend in the Easthood

Wow! What a busy, fun weekend! I enjoyed a great dinner with Mark at the Homestead restaurant, (still a favorite and wonderful dining experience!) We BOTH ate steak.

Saturday was the beautiful wedding of Princess Katie and Prince Doug. I wore my pretty party dress and the day was perfect. Magical, beautiful, and just so special. The wedding was just so wonderful. I had so much fun and talked to so many neat people there.

Mark and I took a little Sunday night flight out to Caribou Lake. It was my first time up in the Super Cub he purchased last year. It was incredible! It just POPS up off the water and the new floats are quite incredible. We had a great little flight out and back. It was really windy and cold out there though, so we stayed long enough to enjoy a soda on the deck and some snacks.

I was missing my neighbors over the weekend, the Greears, wondering what in the world happened to them. From the looks of their blog spot they jetted up to some airport and came home with an extra family member! WOW. When I go to airports I get magazines and expensive water. They got a kid! I think as much as I love kids, I will stay away from that area of the airport in the future though and concentrate on the cooking magazines!

Their chickens were missing them and were pretty upset about being alone and in their coop until they were sprung free for the day by some nice neighbor, probably Valda. I was seriously thinking of stealing eggs!!! Yup, I was. I then decided that the turkey was the guard and it looks pretty big and mean, plus I couldn't bring myself to do it. Now if there was WINE or chocolate in that hen house, it might be another story!

I walked and walked and biked and partied and entertained a house guest who came from Kodiak for the wedding and it was great. Not good for house cleaning here, but fun for me! I drank wine and ate pizza too and still had a 3 pound weight loss for the week! That makes my loss a whopping 53 pounds since I joined WW Jan. 21. The program works. I look like a new person. I want to lose 31 more pounds. This whole thing has been quite a journey!

N3485Z Super Cub Flight

This is my pilot, Marky, doing the pre-flight stuff, like stashing my extra jacket.

Here are those beautiful and perfect new E D O floats!

THE cockpit! Looks pretty basic, huh?
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More Caribou Lake Pics


Mama and Papa Swan keep their distance from the 6 kids! With 6 kids, I understand.













This is looking out my window down at the Fox River and the head of Kachemak Bay.













Here we are getting closer to Homer! The glacier is Grewingk.
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