Ellen and I arrived in Anchorage around 3:20pm (Alaska Time) on Monday afternoon.  We met a few teachers from BSSD at baggage claim and arranged to have dinner together later that evening.  Sharon Holland, our friend in Anchorage, picked us up at the airport and took us to her house.  I got the cats settled in.  They were great on the flight.  They didn't meow much at all once we got to the airport.  Romeo was a little unsure when the plane took off but then he settled in for the flight.

  Romeo and Juliet and Portland International Airport waiting to board the plane.


It has been raining and windy the last two days here in Anchorage.  It reminds me of Oregon in the fall, except the trees are still green and have all there leaves still.  The trees and the mountains are beautiful.  On Monday night Ellen and I met with the BSSD Welcome Wagon for dinner at a great burger place called Arctic Roadrunner.  It was really good.

 The view of the trees and mountains from the Holland's back windows.

Tuesday we began shopping for stores :).  We visited Fred Meyer (actually two Fred Meyers), WalMart, Costco, and Sam's Club comparing their shipping fees and processes for sending orders to the Bush.  We also visited Summit Spice and Tea.  They sell spice combinations for different fish, meats, and flavors.  They also sell loose leaf teas and chocolate.  I grabbed their order catalog :). 


After a long day of shopping for stores we headed back to Sharon's house for a delicious stuffed salmon dinner.  While planning for the next day's shopping and activities we were alerted by Amber (the Holland's dog) that there was something coming toward the house.  We looked out the window as a bull moose walked out of the bushes into the yard about 15 feet from the house.  I grabbed my camera and Sharon and I headed outside to take a picture.  "If he charges don't move.  They don't see very well."  He didn't really care that I was taking pictures of him.  He just slowly walked past us and through the tree on the other side of the driveway.  This was the first of possibly many animal encounters.

Sorry for the blurry picture...it was getting darker and my camera wasn't cooperating. The moose is behind the swing-set.

Sharon, Ellen, and I stayed up planning and talking until about 11pm when the sun was finally setting (at least the general grayness of the overcast day was getting darker) and I went to bed.


Today we are going to be shopping for the food on our revised shopping list.  We will be taking the food we buy today with us as we fly to Unalakleet and then St. Michael tomorrow.  It will be easier and cheaper than shipping it Priority and receiving it in four days.  We would like to eat while we are in St. Michael.  I will need to make my first online order soon after that so we will have food in September when Nathan (my husband) arrives.  We will also begin looking at winter gear for future purchase.  I am planning to buy a good pair of gloves for when the temperature is in the forties-twenties.   I will also be buying a few pairs of heavy socks.


Tomorrow Ellen and I fly out of Anchorage around 12pm to Unalakleet.  We will spend a few hours there and then take the 15 minute flight to St. Michael.  We will arrive there at 5pm.

The moose came back just now.  

It's right outside:)