Gosh, I almost forgot that this blog existed! It has been quite awhile since I have posted on here. Many things have happened in life since my last post. I have lost my grandmother, grandfather and father in the last two years. It has been a roller coaster ride. This November will mark 10 years since I lost my older sister Ellen in a car accident and April will be six years since my mother passed away. Lots of sadness, but I have learned so much about myself and the things that I can survive! Death is part of life and while it is sad, life goes on for those of us left behind. Not a day goes by that I don't think of them.
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| My sister Ellen and my dad. This is one of my favorite photos of them. |
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| My grandparents on their wedding day. |
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| My grandparents at the celebration of their 70th wedding anniversary. |
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| My mom in Alaska in the 60's. She loved Alaska, it was a part of her soul. |
It has also been a year since I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This is a disease that runs in my mother's family. I was not surprised that I acquired it, but I wasn't trilled about it either. I spent my life watching it take my mother's life from her and then spent about a week in bed dreading what the rest of my life was going to be like. Turns out that there have been many strides in the treatment of RA since my mother's diagnosis in the late 70's. I am on the same medication that she was taking. It makes a huge difference when you start taking it at the onset of disease rather than after it has already started destroying the joints. I am feeling good, going to spin classes and walking the dog 2-3 times a day! The more I move, the better I feel...so we just keep moving!
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| Dory is my inspiration...just keep swimming... |
I have some travel planned for the up coming year. So far, just going to Seward, AK for a meeting in April. This is held at the Alaska SeaLife Center, one of my favorite places to visit. I get to see some very cool birds up close and personal and visit with one of the biggest Steller sea lions I have ever seen, Woody! The other trip I have planned is one I have been wanting to take for many years. I am going to Adak, Alaska. Adak is an island in the Aleutian chain. Alaska Airlines flies there twice a week on Sunday and Thursday. I can't wait!! There will definitely be some posts about that experience!
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The front half of Woody, checking out my friend Kaili!
Below: Woody waiting for a snack in his habitat.
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It was hard to find a map that would show both Sitka and Adak! I will actually be further south when I arrive at Adak. It is a two hour flight from Sitka to Anchorage and then just a quick three hours to Adak! This is going to be interesting! For those of you who don't know Alaska...Sitka is on the lower right side of the map. Adak is on the lower left side of the map.
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