Chuck seems to be loving Delta Junction so far. That and "not having to answer to anyone" but himself for a couple of weeks. Despite the joy of being a man on his own, I think he is anxious to start his new job and meet some folks. Often, I refer to him as the social butterfly and myself as the bumbling idiot, so he is going to be making friends soon, I'm sure.

Chuck has been busy exploring our new town for the last two days. Sunday, he visited the library. We talked as he sat in the parking lot describing the people that came in and out. He told me about a guy who arrived on a four-wheeler with a bag of books hanging from the handlebars. His black lab ran along side him and waited patiently outside the library door while the guy returned his books. I like that guy...and his dog.

Yesterday, he visited a sporting goods store and bought a book about fishing in the area and another about weekend adventure trips. He said the store also carried "female things" and "doily" things for the ladies. He also went ahead and called the adventure book mine and put me in charge of arranging our short excursions. I think he is a little worried about how Little Miss and I will busy ourselves there in that small town. I am not so worried. I'm sure there will be challenges, but I didn't go into this expecting a mall or even a drive through...so we'll manage.

On that note, he reported that there IS a thrift store in town! If you know me at all, you know this is wonderful news. I had been afraid to ask about the thrift store until now, so I asked while bracing myself for bad news. A thrift store in Delta Junction is good, good news, even if it is a thrift store/laundry mat. Although, I think it is closed until May....

He is enjoying the daylight too. It doesn't get dark until around 9:00p.m. and he is 3 hours ahead of us here in Alabama. We will have lots of sunshine to enjoy until October (I think...when the darkness lingers for longer than we are used to) because until then, the days are only going to get longer and longer.

The other portion of the family...
Little Miss and I joined our friends from the MOMS Club yesterday at Noccalula Falls. We hadn't been in a while and I must say I was quite impressed. The kids explored together over the rocks and Pioneer Village and were allowed to feed the animals. All of the animals were quite happy to eat string peas right out the kids' hands. We met a sweet old donkey named Pearl the Girl. She was a white, woolly thing and had sweet eyes. And there was a deer there that let us pet him like a dog! I got to love on a few sheep also. I love sheep. I still want my own sheep.

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Chuck has arrived! He called about 10 miles from Delta Junction so we could ride in together. Sweet husband.

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CCB: This shampoo sfmells familiar. It smells like short-berry straw cake!

Hahahahhhhaaaahhaaaaahaaa

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Pee Pie watched a shameful amount of T.V. today. I spent a lot of time moping around the house. It has just occurred to me to start really missing Chuck. The fact that we haven't sold our house and we won't see him again until we do, concerns me.

Missing hasn't really got me down, but did have something to with this slow moving day. Well, that and the fact that Pee Pie has taken to throwing royal fits anytime something doesn't go her way. We tried to do several activities together but knowing it will end in a screaming fit isn't a big motivator. I didn't have the patience for it today. I rarely have the patience for those fits and it is very likely that I handle them all wrong.

Just got to talk with Chuck for the first time today. We only got to talk for about 3 minutes, but it was nice to hear from him. He made it to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory! I was hoping he'd get there today. He traveled a loooonnnnng way - 474 miles - It probably would have felt like a drop in the bucket at this point, but the snow and ice have made the drive stressful.

He expects to be in Delta Junction tomorrow! Ohhh, that'll be a relief.

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Chuck has my camera. Putting it with his things, with batteries fully charged, seemed like the right thing to do...since he will be in Alaska and all. But it sure did hurt to let it go. In the meantime, the photos I post will be from my cell phone camera and a girl has very limited artistic freedom with a cell phone camera. I am trying real hard not to sound spoiled here...but that is hard to do also.

Jelly Bean and I went down by the river yesterday. In an effort to foster her independence and to keep my tennis shoes dry, I let her walk the banks while I watched from the pier.

Being the only child, the poor thing depends on me for everything including being her playmate during every step of the way. And let's face it, I am not always the best playmate a 4 year old girl could ask for. This is why I believe it is time for some "You're On Your Own Kid" training sessions. I set the scene for her adventurous big girl activity of "By Herself Bank Walking", by encouraging her to get down from the pier and onto the bank herself; which resulted in her boo hoo-ing in fear of the slope she found herself on. I rescued her...very reluctantly. She then set off to gather every piece of trash the river brought in. She was always in sight. (She's that little blue dot behind those branches.) Her treasures now have a semi-permanent spot on the pier. Your welcome Mom and Craig!

While she carried her new broken bucket full of treasures (A.K.A. garbage) she tripped into the water and was wet from the waist down. When she fell she also lost her most treasured, rusted, aerosol can to the river and grieved deeply for her loss. She considered going in after it since she was already wet, but thankfully she ran that one by me before she went for it.

Kids have a way a reminding you that no matter how big they talk, they still have a small brain. A small child brain and not being able to swim, doesn't mix well with a river bank that drops off quickly into deep, dark water. I think these little, "You're On Your Own Kid" training sessions are good for both of us, but I appreciate the subtle approach God takes to remind me not to rush her into independence before she's ready.

In other news...I climbed a tree yesterday. Yeah. It was a Magnolia, so excellent for climbing. You know what happened when I got up there real good? My neighbor yelled, "Is that you in that tree Hayley?" To which I replied, "Yep, me and Jelly Bean." Suddenly on the spot like that, in such a vulnerable position, I realized Jelly Bean couldn't be seen, so I had to drag her name into it. You know what he yelled across the yard next? He said, "Aren't you a little old to be climbing trees??" Of course, that is exactly why I was climbing that tree...to prove to myself I wouldn't have one bit of trouble doing it. I was also hoping Jelly Bean may be encouraged to be a little bolder. You know, if your old buzzard of a mother can do it you certainly can too!

If you are interested in Chuck's quest through the Rocky Mountains...
He called from his satellite phone tonight to report that he is at Toad River. I found this very interesting because I am reading a book titled "Lunch at Toad River". It is about a family of 10 (8 of which were children) who traveled to Alaska via school bus over 5000 miles in the 1960's. I haven't gotten to the part that reveals why they felt compelled to name the book "Lunch at Toad River" so now I am very anxious to get to it. A few nights ago, I found it fascinating to discover that as Chuck was traveling through Dawson Creek and surrounding areas, so were the characters in my book!

Chuck and I only spoke for a moment, but I gathered it has been a rough day of driving in slippery conditions but he is ok. He settled in at a "road side hotel" with no phones. Apparently, there is no cell phone signal there either. He called from his truck as he was watched a herd of moose pass. Yeah, a herd of moose. Pretty awesome sight, I'll bet.

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Soooo, Chuck ran into a bit of bad weather. In fact the weather was so bad he felt the need to completely change the plan mid-drive. After he called and said, "Hayley, I can't tow this trailer any further, I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it anymore, I just can't," I drove home and started searching for a new plan.

My first idea was to call Pack and Ride, hoping they could load all of our worldly goods into one of those giant semis who keep flying by Chuck on the Alaskan Hwy. The nice gentleman on the phone quickly advised Pack and Ride doesn't ever travel through British Columbia or the Yukon. Instead they choose to ship via ocean liner. The guy also added that I wouldn't find any moving company willing to go through that area.

I then proceeded with the plan B....www.uhaul.com. Fortunately, Fort Saint John offered both a drop off point and a storage facility. So, after what seemed like endless amounts of 69 cents per minute, minutes over the phone, Chuck drove to the Anthill Storage Complex and unloaded our things over 1300 miles from the original destination.

Poor guy, after unloading the trailer he discovered that he had buried the tub full of his work clothes and has to go dig it out this morning. On the bright side, he is a great digger....so...yeah. Also, he was told to go spray the trailer off before getting credit for returning the thing and found the ice had grown so thick under the trailer that it was scraping the tires.

Incredibly, I am perfectly ok with this new scenario and have a God given easy feeling about the whole thing. I am a little concerned about the rest of his trip, since there is nothing but snow and mountains ahead of him. But, I've been praying...a lot...and I know there are others praying for him also. So what can I do? I sit and have faith and be calm. Of course, Chuck is the one doing all the stressful driving and here I sit blogging about it all.

Since there has been no luck in the snow chain department thus far, Chucko plans to head over to the Ford Motor Company this morning and talk to them about snow tires (we have excellent all-terrain tires but it seems the real deal would suit the weather better), winterizing the truck (since we could find no one in Alabama able to find the necessary parts for winterizing vehicles to withstand -50 temperatures), and maybe an oil change. Fort Saint John turned out to be a great place to need things. Thank you Fort Saint John!

Another bright side to the change of plans include:
Maybe Jekyll and Hyde, the dog, and I can fly to Fort Saint John instead of Fairbanks, meet Chuck there, load our stuff back into the trailer, and travel those last 1300 miles together. It was disappointing when I realized we couldn't made the trek together, so maybe we can get a taste of that cross country trip this way.

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Chuck made it to Dawson's Creek in British Columbia yesterday. He had to deal with lots and lots of snow and icy roads. Apparently snow chains aren't the thing anymore. No one sells them and they are illegal in many places because of the damage they do to the roads. So, he put it in 4 wheel drive and took it slow.

He's not the only one on the roads which is somewhat comforting but it can also make for dangerous conditions when those big truckers drive by at lightning speed with no regard for those that spew muck on. Chuck said when this happens his visibility is reduced to non-existent and all he can do is slow and wait for the wipers to smear some of the mess off.

He still seems be enjoying the trip despite the added stress of dangerous driving conditions. He said he's met some nice Canadians and is loving the scenery.

More snow is predicted for the next several days so please pray for his safety.


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Chuck has almost made it through the Province of Saskatchewan and plans to stay in Edmonton, Alberta tonight. I am feeling especially sweet on him. I guess that old absence is making me fonder already. There is something about a man who takes off across two countries alone...something that I like. I think it is bravery.

Life here has been nice. We took a family bike ride yesterday and today I got to go alone! Well, My Friend came along but he doesn't effect my balance or add 55 lbs. to my bike. My Friend has never been known as an intelligent creature; not even a little bit. But during our biking expedition, I think he was determined to change my view of him and his small brain. When cars passed on our left, I told my friend to "Come on over boy, get in the grass." And you know what he did? He got in the grass! He got in the grass every time too. I am so proud of him.

Now, I am not sure if there are any Alaskans who read my blog, but if so, here's what I want to know. If we bike ride in Alaska and the dog runs along side us, are bears going to see the dog as bait or us?

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Chuck is at point B. Wow.


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A couple of hours ago Chuck called to say he was about 6 miles from the Canadian border! Once he crosses, he won't be using his cell phone unless there is an emergency (and IF he has service) because long distance will be 65 cents a minute. Following a recommendation of Karla of http://karla-alaskaandbeyond.blogspot.com/ we rented an additional phone for emergencies. It is supposed to work no matter where you are...well as long as you have a clear view of the sky.

He's enjoying the drive and even laughed aloud a few times thinking about how he is actually in the process of driving to Alaska. He's made the switch back to winter clothes said the air seems fresher.

Please pray things continue to go smoothly for him and that there will be good weather and driving conditions ahead.

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Oh, forgot to mention I absolutely loved waking up to the sun rising over the misty river this morning. It was beautiful and reminded me of being a teenager here in this house. When I lived here, it never occurred to me that I would look back on those times in a nostalgic kind of way. In my view, at the time, I only had one childhood home and that was on Pleasant Valley. We had left that one behind many years prior. But coming here feels like coming home. It’s easy.

One thing that is missing it that ladder leading to my bedroom window; which is probably for the best wouldn’t ya say?

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Chuck is in Wisconsin. He called with a northern accent speaking of cheese. He said he filmed a statue of a big rat holding a piece of cheese with me in mind. Not so much for the rat or the cheese, though I do love cheese, but more for the odd, big sake of it all. I am a firm believer that there should be more big, odd things in life. ummm, anyways, Chuck is in Wisconsin.

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Just a quick post to say Chuck is on the road! After a sad but sweet goodbye, he left around around 3:00 yesterday afternoon. He drove so late into the night, that I am afraid if I call this morning I will wake him. His schedule could possibly be flipped. I have received notice from the credit card company that there has been activity in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana! Sounds like he is making good time. Without Pepe Le Pew and I to distract him, I am sure he is in the zone.

Pepe Le Pew and I spent our first night at Mom and Craig's. We slept well and everything is nice and quiet for the moment. We are ready to take a break from moving stuff around but the realtor is showing the house again today. SO, I must go back to clean. The poor kid has to tag along.

I took great pleasure in cancelling my AT&T account today BUT now I have to deal with not having an email address! This is really going to throw a kink into life for me. I have to create a new one and figure out how to notify everyone. Can I foward emails? Ugggg.

Chuck status updates to come!

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I have decided that moving is a lot like childbirth. If anyone remembered how painfully difficult it is, no one would ever do it again. Somehow, you forget. Somehow…though I do not know how.

As I sit here I am surrounded. I am aware that there is a possibility of bodily harm. At any moment the tower I created from various different household items I just couldn’t part with, may very well come down. It is a risk I must take. What choice do I have? It will, God willing, stay piled up until I can get to it. For now, I need a break.

If you’ve recently invested in a house you can just barely afford, as my husband and I did, you know there’s no way those unfamiliar people they call movers are coming in to help you. To me, these people are foreign. Like something you hear about and sometimes see but never actually have any contact with.

I cannot forget to mention my husband here. The man who’d like me to be a woman when it’s convenient, if you know what I mean, but somehow assumes that I’ve turned man, when it comes to lifting my Nanny’s china cabinet. My husband is a man who, when lifting incredibly heavy pieces of furniture, doesn’t count to three. He doesn’t issue a warning when he is setting the armoire down so a girl might take care not to crush all her fingers. As he mindlessly chooses his socks for the day he never considers that someone (that’d be me) found the best possible central location for the things only after three hopeful spots were tried. I shouldn’t forget to mention, how he swears studs are 16 inches apart despite all the holes in my sheetrock proving otherwise. He doesn’t believe in anchors. If he had his way, every piece of décor, including those lightweight framed photos, would be screwed directly into studs.

My husband does have his strong points. Just last night he and I sawed a table in half in our living room floor, carried it down the hall to its final resting place. I say final, because I had hoped to paint this room before we bolted all this furniture to the walls. Oh, and say bolted because I have a two year old whom I’d rather not see crushed by the computer desk or other heavy item. Yep, this stuff, including the giant chest of drawers, is getting painted around. I hope the giant rectangular oddly colored shapes aren’t too big of a surprise to the future owners. Oh wait, what am I talking about? I - am - never - moving - again. I already have the plans stored in my head for expansion. This will be the house the grandchildren come back to. Their parents will tell them stories of how they carved their initials on this tree or how they weren’t crushed by this piece of furniture because their mother bolted it to the wall 37 years ago.

The afore mentioned table, has seen many rooms in this house. Initially, we put it out on the screened-in porch thinking someday we will have time for brunch. Then, when reality sunk in, I decided it would suit the kitchen better. After a few days of contorting my body around it while carrying dirty loads of laundry, I decided to saw the thing in half and use a portion of it in our bedroom. Currently, the other half is sitting upside down in the living room floor.

There have been many unfortunate events along the way. I steam cleaned an entire room without water. You know, you really need the water for the cleaning to be effective. I asked myself how I could have let it happen. I am a fairly intelligent person. In my defense, I did add the water. I just added it to the disposal tank.

Just last week while I was painting, I wiped the excess paint off the carpet blade when it slipped and jabbed into my face. I could tell I was bleeding but had to finish up this one little area before I went to investigate. I have to admit I was also procrastinating because I was a little afraid to look. I wore a band-aid on my face that day. I believe it was a from the Shrek collection. Or, it could have been a fairy band aide.

I am remembering a time when my mother and I visited my overwhelmed and self-diagnosed ADD sister in California. She had just moved into a new place and was deeply distressed by the overwhelming chore of unpacking. I, the super duper organizing and situating woman that I am, quickly came to her aid. As I tossed empty boxes out the back door, I sang in celebration, “another one bites the dust, emm, emm, annnddd another one bites, annndd another one bites, another one bites the dust.” Man…how things have changed.

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We've had a good weekend. My Mother-in-law had a little St. Patrick's Day /sending Chuck off party where she read an Irish blessing that was very appropriate. She is a great cook and we enjoyed getting another visit in with the brother and sister in law and little Bam Bam too.

Afterward we drove over to Dad's and Judy's and spent some time with them.

It was a good weekend. Oh and we received gifts! Who knew we would get gifts? I have to list them so I can remember how incredibly generous our family is! They have prepared Chuck for his long drive and we are very grateful. Thanks everyone.

Propane Heater
Car Emergency Kit
Cash
Alaska for Dummies Book
MANY Books on CD's picked out especially for him.
A GPS
Book: "Lunch at Toad River"
Children's book: "Race to Nome!"
Books on CD for kids
A Family Heirloom QUILT
A coat
The MILEPOST
Boots
Socks
Other warm wear

Much more to do in the next few days. Get power of attorney, finish packing, clean up the wreck of what is left in the house, pick up the truck from Noah's garage, pick up and load the UHAUL trailer, pick up the updated GPS unit, and more.

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Earlier in the day, CCB had been eating Fruit Loops in her bed while watching a DVD on the portable player. That night she fell asleep in my bed. Many hours later, Daddy moved CCB to her room and I laid down with her a few minutes. That's when I realized her bed was littered with bits of Fruit Loops.

Me: "Oh my gosh, CCB, Your bed has crumbs all over it!"
CCB in her sleepiest voice with her eyes closed: "It's no picnic for me either! Well, it was earlier, but it's not now."

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Alaska plans are in full swing. Chuck plans to head out Wednesday. He will be traveling in our new to us truck with a 6X12 trailer in tow. Piccadilly Square, the dog, and I will hang back until the house sells. We are moving in with my mom and sted-dad since the house should be, SHOULD be, almost empty, with the exception of the things we are selling. Yep, I never dreamed we would be having another sell off, but there is a need. And strangely, I'm ok with letting go. At this point, I am even relieved to let go. For those who don't know, this move makes 4 times in three years for our family.

I've turned the house upside down, packing things bit by bit. I've been sorting through what Piccadilly Square and I will need here in Alabama, what we don't need at all, and what goes to Alaska.

I am looking forward to moving in with Granna and Granddiddy. I think it will be good for all of us and I am grateful they are looking forward to it too. I'll be down there closer to Dad also, and that will make visiting easy for a while.

Right now, I am worried about the good-byes. Without Chuck to distract me, my emotions may be too much to bear. Piccadilly Square is the nurturing type so it would be easy to think it was ok for her to see me fall apart when telling her Daddy goodbye and while getting on the airplane...but, I realize, as a kid (this doesn't apply to you Mom!) no matter how nurturing you are, seeing Mom completely loose it while you are in an unsure situation, doesn't exactly boost confidence. So, I am going to be strong...which only means I am not going to think of leaving my Mama until we load up to go to the airport, then I am going to ask to be dropped off at the curb, and Piccadilly Square and I will run into the airport as fast as we can. Hmmm, I am going to have to get My Friend's extra large kennel some wheels.

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It is difficult to exercise with a 55lb. child in your stroller. If you will, imagine the 55lb. child is alternating between screaming and crying because she is in the stroller. She is being totally ungrateful about the hour you gave to chase birds before inserting her into the stroller. Also, imagine it is cold enough (don’t laugh you Alaskans!) to keep most folks around here indoors. These photos were actually taken a couple of weeks ago, when it was really cold and the wind was whipping it up down by the riverside. SO, exercising hasn’t exactly been going as planned.

Though, in order to stay positive, I will focus on that...the positive. This week has been much better. Monday and Tuesday I drove my dog and daughter to my mother-in-laws. I left the kid and the car there, and the dog and I jogged/walked home. I am not sure how far it was, but I am sure it was far enough.

One of the great things about me and exercise is that I can tell a difference immediately. There is an obvious downside to that.

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Ok, so my title needs work. This will be a reoccurring segment so please feel free to offer title suggestions. In this segment I will be posting the funny things my little Nick Nack Paddy Wack says that warrant writing down. I have been keeping a record of these things ever since she could speak, so it seems fitting to continue here on the blog.

Here we go...

On the way to church this morning...
CCB: Mom, your hair looks crazy. You need a brush.
Me: Well, I don't have one.
CCB: Well, if somebody says something about it, just tell 'em you did the best you could.

Deep thoughts yelled from the bathroom....
Hey! A potty is like a seat with a hole in it.

CCB: Do they have butter here?
Me: No
CCB: What good is cornbread without butter?

And last but certainly not least...
Batteries in things are a lot like brains in our heads.

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I hope in my excitement of moving to Alaska I haven't implied I don't love Alabama. I do love Alabama. Alabama is home. Me and Alabama go way back.

First came "The Woods." As children, my sister and I romped till our hearts content on the 40 acres that surrounded our country house. We were never bored out there. We proudly told our friends that we lived in "The Woods" knowing full well the idea of having no neighbors other than our Aunt and Uncle, sounded foreign to the kids who lived around "The Club." While there was no official sign or record book title, "The Woods" earned its capital letters and will always evoke memories of childhood for me.

We had dogs, cats, and chickens that freely roamed in and around our backyard. My sister and I would often get so dirt caked, Mom would make us strip down on the wrap around porch before we were allowed entry. So our hair didn't get wrapped around the motor of our doom buggy, we'd tie it up in a bun or wear toboggans. Dad fearlessly rode us up and down Pleasant Valley Road and Steele Station until we'd need hosing down. Santa Claus brought my sister and I a three wheeler before I was old enough to drive it. Years later and after running up several trees, into a car, and over my sister's foot, she declared herself the sole driver. I hung on tightly to her little waist as we named every tree and each mound of dirt we traveled past or over. When I was without her, I bravely ran the course we created time and time again. We had a home out there on Pleasant Valley Road and I can still hear that old screen door creaking open then slamming shut behind me as I made my way into the great outdoors.

The river and creeks that run through Etowah County have been a part of my life since I was a small child. I've been seining along the murky banks of the Coosa and in a snake filled creek behind a little white church off some county road. My Dad and I frequented all sorts of creeks and pockets of the river with rods in tow. I'd quickly tire of fishing but I never got tired of hanging out along the creek or river bed.

Once after a big rain, the family loaded up in our flat bottom boat and let the creek push us downstream in flooded conditions. We were powerless against the swiftly moving water and found ourselves jammed against fallen trees and creek debris. Knowing that the trip was a little more dangerous than my parents expected and working with them to pry ourselves from the force of the creek and the trees that blocked our path, has a way of making a kid feel very useful. I'll never forget that trip down the creek.

Whenever Dad got a chance, he loved to pull up his Duck Head shorts and tan under the scorching Alabama sun while floating on a tube. His love of the river and sun carried my sister and I to many great swimming holes. The waters around here are so green, I could never see my feet beneath me, but that was part of the intrigue. I can see my Dad now, chest deep in water, feeling around the river bottom with his feet, going under, then bringing up a clod of earth with him. He'd throw back his treasure most every time. I'm still not sure if he ever found any keepers but I would never trade those few seconds between seeing the look of confusion mixed with curiosity on his face and seeing the mysterious object in the light of the sun.

When my parents busied themselves building the house on the river, I walked the banks. I collected rocks and river shells, swung on ropes that hung precariously over the river, got in a a flat bottom boat with my sister and chartered new territory to an island in our new backyard, and found a dead baby alligator and beat it's head till it's teeth fell out for proof. I also explored the street side of our new house by foot and named every black cow in a field along the way.

When Dad could break away from rock laying and pipe fitting, I'd tag along when he visited his good buddy's river spot. I'd get together with the buddy's son and the rest of the boys. We'd spend the entire day as true blue river rats. They had all the toys a river rat could ask for - boats, wave runners, ski equipment - and lucky for me they didn't really mind a girl tagging along.

As a teenager, I drove throughout rural Northeast Alabama, with windows down and blonde hair flying, just taking it all in. The 35mm camera on continual loan from the photographers I worked for, was my constant companion. I discovered a spot in the town of Littleton, Alabama despite several no trespassing signs, and marveled at the hidden world my Dad had always told me about. I repelled off several dangerous cliffs not being completely sure of my knot. I've come home with camp fire smells clinging to my hair too many times to count.

Then I met Chuck....
Chuck's need for adventure fed my own and I am grateful God let us live through them. We've climbed under bridges on catwalks during the dark of night, jumped off cliffs into only partially known depths, canoed creeks that were slow moving and some that were so swift I got out, spun in continual 360's in a mud soaked Toyota, been to every haunted house, barn, and forest within 100 miles of here for 8 or so consecutive years, canoed on the Coosa River early enough to see the sunrise while singing, "Good Morning America How Are Ya", climbed water towers with leaning ladders and fire towers with missing steps, frolicked and trespassed on sand dunes we dubbed "Dukes of Hazard Land", camped out on our island on the Coosa to celebrate our 5th year anniversary, fished and sunned from a spot we had to scale a large rock to reach, and canoed creeks quietly enough to not scare off the cows who were stopping by for a drink. With him I've learned to throw a cast net like no other girl I know and shoot a pistol good enough to win a sharp shooter award. We not only share a love for one another, but for the land and river that surround us as well.

Cheeks slowed us down a little, but we've regained our adventuring momentum by reworking our adventures to include her. Cheeks is part of an elite group called "The Adventure Scouts" which consists of she and I, honorary members, her Granna and Aunt Sunny, and a special guest who conducts workshops when needed, named her Daddy. She has proven that she has grown into a full blown kid by hiking along side us at Cherokee Rock Village. Cheeks has a what she calls her "favorite woods" out in our backyard. During the Spring and Summer, Cheeks can be found on a pier with her Dad. He fishes for crappie while she makes minnow friends in an algae filled tub. When she's not hugging her dear minnow friends, she can be found with us of the v-hull boat that once belonged to Chuck's Dad. We've claimed it as our own and spent many hours on that hot aluminum.

These days, Cheeks and I walk the banks together. I tell her stories of the "The Root Children" who dared to peak under the banks of the Coosa without fully believing in the village that is booming under there. As we walk, she collects rocks and river shells. Cheeks and I often "Renew the Coosa" by canoeing in and out of sloughs picking up garbage along the way. Chuck and I have taken her to the dam and given her lessons on electricity and fish in oxygenated water. Cheeks loves swimming in the Coosa and in her own way, has expressed that she will miss it deeply. She asked me to assist in making a sign for her bedroom door that reads, "I believe I will like Alaska" because she is a trooper.

As the old ball and chain and I have gotten older we've come to the realization that:
#1 We are not immortal and our jumping form cliff days are over. We got a kid to think about for cryin' aloud.
#2 There is a such thing as property lines.
#3 There is only so far the 1975 Johnson motor that is currently unable to exceed speeds of 5mph will take us. With a job that has no promise or even hope of ladder climbing, we aren't able to adventure much further than that old broke down motor will take us...and I ain't just talking about river adventures folks.

So, it's to Alaska for us! with God willing, many more adventures to follow.

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P.S. After some unflattering photos from the weekend my jogging commitment is stronger. I will be jogging at least three times a week. I will also be doing at least 100 crunches each and every night. I am posting this here to strengthen my commitment.

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It was totally NOT ME who vacuumed the kitchen floor with one hand while holding a gob of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the other. It surely was not me that missed my mouth several times either.

After waking to the totally not indoor voice of my 4 year old, it was so NOT ME that told her Daddy that she needs to go to school somewhere.

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My big 4 year old baby fell asleep on the way home last night, a very rare thing indeed. Of course, she woke up on the way in but she wanted me to rock her back to sleep. What a nice treat for a Mama of a increasingly independent 4 year old.

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