Our apologies it's been so long since the last entry. Malcolm and Chloe have the nerve to demand nearly all our time, as if there isn't a perfectly good couch to nap on, or books that need to be read. Alas, we've been having a great time, as you can see from the latest snapshots. Malcolm flies for Alaska Airlines in his spare time (when he's not ruling the seas as Sharkboy), and now that Chloe is walking and starting to talk, she's got more moxie than ever.
We've had a couple of moose sightings on our street, which seems strange given all the traffic, houses and businesses which surround us. But the moose here are like the deer back in California. You look and point, maybe take a picture, then get back to your life. No one bothers them, and they don't seem to bother anyone in return. The photos here are taken from our front door of the mama moose in the neighbor's yard the other day. Her "baby" (all 500 pounds of him) was next door. Brandon drove past another (maybe the same adult) earlier this week eating a different neighbor's willow tree for breakfast. She had an ear tag, as we imagine most around here do.
The recent heat wave brought temperatures to around 40, and threatened to cancel or delay the Iditarod for the first time in recent memory. Without snow, it's kind of tough to hold a dog sled race. But Mother Nature intervened at the last minute, and all went well. Also, Brandon recently received a promotion, rocketing up the beaureacratic ladder from Administrative Assistant II to III. Not a big deal, but more money is always appreciated.
We've also begun the search for our new house in the Matanuska-Susitna ("Mat-Su") area just north of Anchorage. We'll be moving in July.
Finally, we're slowly nearing our annual celebration of friends, fun and the art of craft brewing, Tuckerfest. This is TFest's fifth year, and it's sure to be special. A few Lower 48ers are even set to join us, including Ryan and Heather, and "Chilkoot" Chris Lundahl. We'd love to have the usual suspects come toast to life's pleasures with us, so please consider making the trip this August. Alaska promises to be a stunning backdrop to this annual institution.
It's a bright, sunny day today, with temps hovering around 10. Perfect for ice skating. Take care everyone!
