Floridian in Paradise

The view of an oncomming train in Whittier.

For the past week Diannes mother has been up to visit and buy most of Alaska. I believe at one point she attempted to purchase a train, but at 43 tons each they would be a bit difficult to get on the plane. She is a confirmed shop-a-holic and has no problems admitting it. We put her up in a hotel that was next to downtown so that she could buy shop downtown whenever she wanted. As it turned out, she had to buy 3 extra suit cases just to get all the extra booty home. The woman is obsessive.

Being her first time to Alaska, and the fact that we have been here sooooo long, we were obliged to show her the sights. This meant that we did all the touristy thing like going to flat top, driving to Whittier, seeing a moose, telling the mother-in-law that she had to walk on the mud flats until she got stuck…. Ok, perhaps not the mud flats thing.

This is what 90,543,084,243 ice cubes look like

All in all it was a wonderful visit by a wonderful mother-in-law (I still want that new truck, and think about all the stuff you could fit in the bed if you bought one for us - I love you). Unfortunately the trip ended before she was able to buy us a new vehicle. That is ok because there will be other visits, and I would really prefer an 07’ model anyway…

So in the past week I have seen more mountains, glaciers, eagles and waterfalls than I have seen in…..Oh, about 2 weeks. This place really is amazing.