July 2019
The entire month of July was preparing for our Alaskan trip or being on the trip. The camper preparation was fun. Every morning hubs and I would go out to Gracee early in the morning before it was too hot and check something off our chore list.
By 5 p.m. on July 12th we were ready and at 5:05 p.m. we got on the road. Our excitement level was at an all-time high. When you have dreamed of an Alaskan trip in your very own travel trailer for 30+ years when the time arrives you are more than ready.
Hubs decided to take a shortcut through West Virginia! The route he took wasn’t exactly a shortcut and it ended up taking forever through the mountains and through every coal mining town in that state. By 1 a.m. we pulled into a parking lot with two big rigs and went to bed.
The rest of July was spent on the road. Driving to Alaska takes a long time. We arrived there on July 27th. Two weeks to get there. When we did arrive? We hit the road running! We had one week to do, see, and experience Alaska. Before we turned the calendar to August we had driven the Nabesna Road, gone to Valdez, interviewed the on-strike ferry workers, seen many glaciers, driven through lava fields, experienced Denali, and drove to the Kenai (keen eye) Peninsula.
August 2019
We stayed with friends in Sterling, AK, on the Kenai Peninsular – we parked Gracee in the yard and unhitched for the first time on the trip. We went to Homer and The Spit and had the best Halibut we’ve ever tasted. Homer is the Halibut Capital of the world. We experienced the most bizarre fishing charter ever seen – see the pictures below!
We sat on the shore and watched the tractor speed up and go all the way into the waves until the tractor was nearly covered with water, then we see this fishing boat coming into shore from afar. The tractor meets the boat and the action begins – they hook up and drive the boat up onto the dry beach and let the fishing guests de-board the boat. It was crazy! Then the tractor takes off to bring another boat in. It was the wildest thing we’ve ever seen.
We drove to Seward, AK, a port town and went on a Marine tour! We saw puffins, seals, otters, sea lions, eagles, and a pod of Orcas! One of my great life dreams! We were in Resurrection Bay on the most beautiful day ever. It was perfect! The Bay is surrounded by majestic mountains and glaciers. Honestly, words cannot do it an ounce of justice.
Hubster got to go fishing and he was thrilled. And, he caught fish. He had the very best time. The day of the fishing trip was a Sunday and I stayed in Gracee and read, took a nap and thoroughly enjoyed my alone time.
Monday, August 5th, we began our trip east. We knew we had a two week road trip ahead of us and neither of us wanted to leave. We arrived home on Sunday, August 18th. Five weeks and 13,125 miles later! We were exhausted and it took the rest of August to get ourselves back in the groove of home life.
September 2019
September began with bidding our grandgirl, Hannah, farewell to go to South Florida. Hubs drove the U-Haul truck with all her furniture and earthly goods. Our daughter drove her big SUV, loaded with more stuff, and Hannah was in her new car, which was loaded as well. They had a good trip and then got stuck in South Florida as Hurricane Dorian made up its mind which way to go. There were windows to board and homes to prepare down there. Finally on September 4th, my daughter and husband got home. The next day Lowell was in the ER with a blood clot in his leg. YIKES.
We are about 95% sure we are going to relocate to Greer, South Carolina. We hope to buy a tiny house (399 square feet) and live on a leased lot in a lakeside tiny house village! How’s that for news?
We miss Hannah very much – yet are enjoying Simon’s visits almost every day. We are blessed that our grands like us and enjoy being with us.
I’m busy writing Gracee’s Great Alaskan Adventure, a picture book with stories. It will be available on Amazon, although I know it’s going to be expensive because of all the color photos. I may buy a box of author copies and make them available at my cost plus shipping. I’m not sure if anyone will be interested in it – I am writing it for us and our memories!
September has been a hot, dry month here in Statesville, North Carolina. We need rain desperately and very much want to see cool, Fall days. Lowell and I are kind of excited about downsizing again and moving. Tiny house living has always intrigued us and we are both confident we can do it successfully! I’ve been shredding files and getting rid of things. I swear, I live in a paper jungle. It’s ridiculous the stuff I save. Being a writer has its drawbacks! Files and files! I scanned the items I wanted and then shred them. We threw away 80 pounds of shredded paper last week.
It’s been a busy quarter and we enjoyed every moment of it.
Tiny House – 399 squares – can we do it!
So enjoyed hearing all about your trip and your possible new tiny home. We just arrived home from our 2200 mile trip last night and are exhausted today so can only imagine how tired you two were when you returned home! We visited 11 states and saw family and friends which was the purpose of our trip.
We feel very grateful that We were able to do this but I think we would like to stay put for a few weeks!
You guys are a bit more adventuresome than we are!
Oh Ali, I hear you friend. Travel is awesome but it plum wears you out!!!!!! Hope you get to stay in the mountains a while before going south.
Susan, I’m so glad you’re up and running again with your blog. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the recap of your past few months. Wow, a trip of a lifetime!
I’m so glad you are relocating to Greer, SC. That’s about an hour from where I live! So maybe we can get together and have the scrabble game we talked about years ago. 🙂
I’m your neighbor at #TellHisStory today. Love and blessings to you, dear Susan! xo
I love the idea of living in Greer – so close to many dear, online friends!!!
I’m so excited for y’all next adventure to SC. Your pictures from Alaska are gorgeous! Who would of ever thought sitting in your kitchen when we tried to eat Tofo that you would make a trip to Alaska. Isn’t it amazing how Our Lord Blessed is with our Heart Desires. Love ya honey!
And, wasn’t that tofu just awful??? LOL
Fun stuff! Can’t wait till you’re closer.
Love the new look!
XO
We will be very close!!! New look? What are you seeing that I’m missing? All the changes were to the backend!!! Of the blog, wish I could get some backend work!!! LOL
Wow! What a quarter! I bet living in Gracee so long will help you make the transition to a tiny house! I hope Lowell is recovering from his blood clots. Blessings as you start a new quarter with new adventures!
THAT is the truth. 86 sq ft > 399 sq ft!!!! A mansion!
Always love your recaps! (And feelin’ a little bit like an insider, cuz I knew all this stuff…)
You are an insider. xo
WHAT A QUARTER YOU’VE HAD!!!
3 things:
Your trip looks amazing!
A tiny house sounds like a grand adventure!
I love the book idea!
Rebecca – I love my three too!!!
Love today’s read! Adventure abounds. Hope Lowell is okay now. Hannah to S Florida how nice for her too. Simon weighed ten pounds? Wow!!! Love the tiny house. Excited for you both! We are ready for our 17 days away from home Oct 10-27th as we cruise thru the Panama Canal. Mike’s bucket list! God is good! Hugs to the whole family.
17 day cruise. WOW! Have a fun and blessed time!
Once again, I’m so excited for ya’ll! I love that you can share your adventures and I get a taste of what it was like; can’t wait to read the book. I’m all about “going for it” these days-“moving forward,” and loving the opportunities that God provides. The tiny house looks great-love the porch!
Go for it and move forward!!! Me too!
I kept repeating the same word as I read your recap: wow! Even about the 80 pounds of shredded paper – wow! I have so enjoyed following your Alaskan adventure. I keep nudging my husband about travel. Hopefully, he’ll catch the bug too.
I do hope so Deb.
Sounds like you had such a great trip! It is wet wet wet here. Maybe I can send some your way. I’m not sure I could do tiny house living! It’s so cute though.
I think we’ll be able to do it!
Thanks for sharing more about your trip – it sounds wonderful!
Trip of a lifetime, for certain.
Love all the news and catching up in your report. Tiny house, huh? I am beyond interested. My “dream” is to live in a tiny house in the middle of a large piece of property somewhere with lots of snow in the winter. LOL Hubby doesn’t share that dream, though. **smile** I am content to be right here, thankfully, but, do admit that I “drool” when I watch “tiny house” programs on TV.
Well, no big piece of property in fact in a tiny village with 11 other tiny homes, on a lake. It works for us!
What an amazing adventure you experienced. Alaska is one place I hope to see someday. Now a new adventure awaits. 399 sq. ft. is really tiny. Wow! I am happy for you. I wish I lived closer to all of those beautiful writing friends in the area you are moving to.
The area is packed with them!!! I hope we gather often. We have a guest loft!
Such great adventures!! I love traveling vicariously with you Dear Sister! Especially in Alaska, since our son & family just moved there a few months ago. And I love the idea of a Tiny House. Praying everything comes together for you! xoxo
Where in AK? Do tell.
Almost feel like I went on the trip to Alaska with you and L.
New life adventure for Hannah is exciting. That girl is moving on.
Love,
K
And, she’s not looking back!!! Except in gratefulness!
That trip sounds so exciting–and exhausting! I’m so glad you got to experience it. And Greer! We lived right next door in Taylors and Greenville (later we moved to Spartanburg). We were in SC 26 years all together. It’s a great area.
We believe we’re going to love it there. Excited.
Wow! What a trip! I would love to cruise to Alaska someday from Seattle. But first we need to fly to Seattle…. someday.
Have you heard of Blurb? I don’t know how expensive Amazon Picture books are, but I can send you a link to look at the preview of the family yearbook I made through Blurb. They are easy to use, and you work on it offline…. It may be worth researching the differences.
Liberty @ B4andAfters.com https://www.b4andafters.com/saturday-snippets-2/ (for some info on Blurb)
Thank you, I will definitely check it out.
I can’t wait for the book! You can do 399 SF. Just got rid of the paper! I don’t like paper. Good job Sister.
Thank you, sestra.
LOVED this report of your travels. I so love the pictures also. Come to think of it, I love you, dear friend.
And, I, you!!! #hopeladies
Wow, Susan … so much fun stuff in one blog post! I loved seeing all your Instagram pics from your trip and reading all about it again here was just as wonderful. Such a beautiful place … I’m so glad you got to experience Homer while you were there. And a tiny home!?! You inspire me!
Lois, The Spit was a fun place however the weather was so foggy and cruddy that day so we didn’t stay long. Tiny living? I believe it’s for us!
It sounds like you’ve had an exciting few months, Susan! I love your pictures and wish you all the best on your new tiny house adventure! God bless! 🙂