Bellingham

         We finally got into Bellingham last night after driving through the Cascades all day.  It was a most beautiful drive through majestic, snowtopped mountains with rushing waterfalls coming down from off the melting snow.   Every turn was another picture taking moment.  We saw a woman taking pictures of four little girls in bikinis standing on a big pile of snow.  Met a man who had lived in Alaska for a year while his wife worked as an interpreter for the park service. 
           I have found, as I have grown older and have traveled throughout the United States, that everyone has a story to tell if you just take the time to listen.  Met  a man in Sheridan Wyoming in a restaurant who had worked as a cook on a fishing boat in Alaska back in the 60's.  I am sure Alaska had changed a great deal since then.  The man we met today grew up on one of the Islands off Washington state.  I think to grow up on an island surrounded by the sea would make for a wonderful childhood. 
           Talked to my daughter last night.  Also talked to my two little grandsons.  They can't understand why grandpa and grandma aren't there when they go to our house. 
            We are going to see Harry Potter today, find a park to walk in and eat out tonight.  We are resting up for our four day ferry ride coming up.  It's going to be an adventure.  Bye for now.

One Day, Two states

  While it seems we were in Montana days ago, it was just this morning  we left our motel in Livingston, north of Yellowstone and headed on on our journey to Alaska.  It was cool  out this morning when we stepped out the door.  How wonderful.  We traveled a while before we stopped for brunch.  Had an omelette with mushrooms and tomatoes, hash browns and a big blueberry muffin.  Yum.  Of  all the meals you eat in a day, I love breakfast the best, especially if something sweet is involved. 
   Coming on the interstate we saw what we first thought were two bicyclists, but instead it was one on a bicycle and one on a unicycle!  The wheel  on the unicycle was unusually large.  Almost a circus act acturally.
    We were determined to get to Washington state today and we made it.  We did take a small detour through a little town we saw off the interstate and looked through one antique shop.  You know we cannot go very long without doing that.  Tomorrow we are taking all back roads to Bellingham.  We are tired of interstate.  We have managed to do a little touristy stuff along the way.  Went to Devil's Tower.  It always amazes me to see it off in the distance as we travel toward it.  One big rock sticking out of the ground nothing at all like the mountains around it.  We also stopped at Wall Drug and walked around to see all the strange and wonderful things they have there.  To finish the day yesterday, we went to Little Bighorn where Custer's last stand happened.  An Indian ranger gave a very interesting talk about the battle from both the Indians' and the soldiers' point of view.  It is a sad, but awesome place.  The lives that were lost there that day did not have to happen.  The soldiers had one shooter rifles and had had their bayonets taken from them earlier by their superiors because they rattled as they rode and would have warned the Indians they were coming.  They were put into battle with their hands literally tied behind their back.  The first people to be killed in the battle were women and children out picking wild turnips.  I learned alot I had not heard before and found it very informative. 
    Now we are in our motel for the night.  It is really a nice one, almost luxury by our standards.  They had a hospitality room where you could get two free drinks and make tacos or have chips and cheese and other munchies.  Good night and will write again soon.

Sheridan

  I accidently sent my last post to my husband's, who shall not be named, blog.  So here I am back to tell you about our wonderful day.  We started out early with breakfast at our motel and traveled to Wall Drug.  The first time we were ever there, my mom and dad were with us.  How I wish they could have been with us today.  We spent some fun time there.  If you are ever in Wyoming, Wall Drug is a must see especially if you have kids.  There is lots for them to do.
   Driving further, we realized we were within driving distance of Devil's Tower.  We camped below the tower once and there was an amazing lightening storm on top of it that I watched from our camper.  It was so hot today, we didn't attempt to walk around it, but took lots of pictures which will be put on our facebook pages. When we got to Sheridan, the streets were torn up to our motel, so we had to take back alleys to get to it, but finally found it.  Drove downtown and looked at the shops and ate dinner.  I found a pair of cowgirl boots I would love to have.  If  I have any money after we get back from Alaska, I just may buy them when we pass through again.  Anyway, back at the motel, we went to the pool and got in the hot tub.  There was this family of five who all got out of the pool and joined us which made me kind of uncomfortable as we were pretty crowded.  We tried to swim in the pool, but it was too cold( this is beginning to sound like Goldilocks and the Three Bears.)  One of the women got out of the hot tub and came over to talk.  I think she thought they ran us out.  I started talking to her and she told me they were from France and were heading to Colorado and New Mexico.  She said something about Maine, but we didn't understand her.  She was very nice.
    Tomorrow we are heading to Bozeman, but we are going to take it slow.  Having a GREAT time.
    

Antiques,fabric and more

    Began our journey early this morning and got to our destination earlier than we had planned.  Went to South Amana and found the most fabulous gift, antique and fabric store that was in an old general store. So many rooms, so much fabric, so little time.  They even had a little cafe and my husband, who shall not be named, had a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie and I had a little nibble of it.  It was soooo good. 
    Is cooler and it rained here which was so refreshing after the mind numbing heat we have a home.  Hope all this coolness and raininess(is that a word?) gets there.  We even visited a Ralph Lauren store which is mandatory when traveling with my husband, who shall not be named.  Time now to have a rest before heading out again tomorrow.  Bye.

One day left

                Only one day until we are off on our Alaska adventure.  I have to pinch myself to believe we are really going.  My husband, who shall not be named, and I have traveled in about all the states except Hawaii, Connecticutt and Rhode Island.  Each state has its own beauty and people everywhere are pretty nice.  We have only gotten a traffic ticket in one state and had a bad tangle with a store owner in the same state.  What state was it, you may ask?  Well, it has alot of Amish in it and we mistakenly parked in a horse parking lot once and when we came out of the store we were visiting, horses and buggies surrounded us.  A man came out of the store and berated us for parking there.  The state begins with an O and ends with an O.  It's a beautiful state though and has lots of nice people, except for that store owner, some being related to us.
                How do you feel when you are about to go on vacation?  I feel a little homesick  and start missing my dogs before we leave the drive.  They have some nice people coming each day to feed and water them and give them some pats.  When we are finally on the road I suddenly forget all my cares and worries and start having fun.  After all, I get to eat out every day, no dishes, no housework and lots of scenery watching.  If hubby and I can figure out how to post pictures here we will be doing it. I don't like reading blogs without pictures, so, if you have read this far you are a very patient person.  Will write more tomorrow. 

Me, myself and I

  Okay, I know by blog says "I Love My Dogs" and I do, but I love my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my friends and a whole lot of other things.  I just drew a blank at what to call my blog.  Anyway, hi everyone who chooses to come here.  I will talk about my life and try not to bore you.
  I am writing this blog for myself, however, to keep a sort of history of my life and what happens to me from day to day. Blogs, by their very existance show a little egotism on the party of the blogger.  I hope I don't come across as egotistical, because I'm not. I'm rather shy really.  This week my husband, who shall remain nameless right, now and I are getting ready to go to Alaska.  It's not like a last minute thing.  I have wanted to go since I first heard Alaska had become our fiftieth state.  Through the years we talked about going, planned to go, attemped to go and now, now we are actually going and I still won't believe it until we step on Alaskan soil.
  We are traveling across country to Washington state where we and our car will board a ferry and sail up to the mainland.  It will take four days.  I'm not sure how I will be on a boat where you cannot see land.  I hope I don't have anything bad to report. 
  So, my friends, if you discover this blog, I hope you will come back to visit.  It's going to be a fun ride.