Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

We’re leaving for the airport very early tomorrow (before 5am). I am so excited! I’m almost packed, and my biggest challenge has been trying to fit 10 days worth of stuff in a carry on bag so I don’t have to check anything. Good thing my kids have a washer/dryer in their apartment.

I will also be having a reunion with my best friend from my younger years: Denise Sutton and her family. Denise and I met when we were both about 17 and remained the best of friends until she and her family moved to WI. We still maintained our friendship long distance, but we also began to make new friends and our phone calls and letters started to become less frequent. Regardless, Denise and I went through so much together and she was my closest confidante for so many years. No matter how much time passes, we pick up as if we have just seen each other a few days before.  I’m sure many of you reading me have friendships like this. They are precious indeed.

Denise and her husband live on the western side of Wisconsin, in a small town. Her son and his family live in the Madison area, and her daughter lives in IL. My kids and her kids used to play together when they were all little. Denise will be turning 50 on Friday. She loves to tease me about being born in another decade (the 60s) even though our birthdays are only a month apart.

We have plans (all of us: me, my kids, Denise and her entire family) to meet at Denise’s son’s house for pizza and a reunion on Friday night. We’ll also be celebrating Denise’s big birthday.  I am so excited I can’t stand it! I haven’t seen Denise since 2002, and I haven’t seen her husband since at least the late 90s. With her kids, it’s been even longer! And my kids haven’t seen her kids in a very long time. Hard to believe they all splashed together in a kiddie pool at one time now that they’re all grown up. Where has the time gone?

I am also meeting up with several friends I’ve met through the Live Journal blogging community. I’ve already met my friend Kerry in person (last time I visited Madison), but this time I will be meeting her and one or two other friends from Minnesota - who are driving down specifically to meet up with me! We’ll be getting together on Saturday.

And then, last but not least, I will also be meeting my online friend Yvonne for coffee on Thursday - our first meeting in person too. She lives in eastern WI but will be in the Madison area for business, so we’ve scheduled a quick meeting while I’m in town. I hope to see her again when her travels bring her to AK later this year.

I am always so amazed at the people I’ve met through the internet. What a wonderful venue for bringing new friends into your life.  I’ve “met” so many people through blogging and various communities (and especially through this blog) and my life is truly enriched by all of them and YOU!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I have a lot of photos to share, but it’s going to have to wait until I have more time to sit down and blog. I won’t be taking my laptop with me to Madison, so the photos I’ve taken over the last few days will have to wait. I do hope to use Chris’ computer to maybe post an update or two while I’m in Madison.  But if I don’t, you’ll have to wait until I get home in 10 days.

Last night (actually 4am this morning), the northern lights were dancing across the sky. I happened to be up, and was able to get some photos. They were gorgeous! I’ll post some the next time I write.

Right now I have to finish packing. It’s going to be a long day of traveling, but I know it will go quickly knowing that my boys (and my lovely daughter in love) are waiting for me on the other end.

Until next time….