Mile High to the End of the Road: Updates from the Living Room

I am happy to announce that I am writing this from the comfort of my living room! 1 month and 3 companies later, we finally found a company that could get internet to our house! Much more convenient for keeping in touch, however, I must say life was a lot less "busy" without the internet. I can't put off figuring out wedding details and keeping track of online bills forever though so here I am! Now, for a recap of the past few weeks.

On Labor Day weekend, my new friend from work, Jackie (who is the pediatric OT), asked if I wanted to go camping with her. It was dumping rain but I figured that is just what Alaskans do and not wanting to be a wimp, found my plastic pants and prepared for a soggy night. When she realized how much it was raining, she debated whether it was actually worth it, which made me feel a little better about my inner mountain woman. However, by then I was so covered in plastic gear I was determined to go no matter what so we did it. We drove up to Skilak Lake which is just north of Soldotna and found a nice little spot next to the lake. Luckily, the rain even let up.

While it only drizzled occasionally, the winds howled. And by howling I mean 75mph gust howling, as we found out the next day. Mine and Hank's tent that got us through Canada, which originally had been found in the garage of my house I lived in my senior year of college, was not made for those kind of air speeds. Since Grant was the tent setter-upper through Canada, it is very likely it was user error on my part. Anyways, Jackie had an extra tent so we changed dwellings at 10pm in the pouring rain for a much newer, sturdier tent. Thankfully we did as even in that tent, all the stakes were blown out of the ground and the tent caved in on us a couple of times. I don't think Hank was too impressed with our adventure but we were solid enough to keep the tent grounded and we were dry and warm the next morning. I made it up to him by taking him on a lovely little flat hike around some other lake whose name I can't remember.

We even found a little hut you can rent out and ski to, similar to one we stayed at near Aspen with our friends Ashley and Steven:

Ashley and Steven: to consider for next Easter's Hut Trip?

It even has a boat and fire pit that comes with it

Since my adventuring friend left for Colorado for 3 weeks (weird again, I know) I have had much less eventful weekends (except for the Mommas' visit which I will get to). Hank and I go for walks on the beach a lot between the rain and in the rain and otherwise, I just soak up the Alaskan sights: