Happy New Year

We had a quiet but beautiful Christmas this year. We enjoyed every moment together.

Yesterday, Jan. 3rd, we went to the memorial for my dear friend Carol Wight Jones. She fought a good fight, & never stopped smiling. The last day I got to spend with her, I had bronchitis, & didn't dare get close, but I walked behind her carrying her oxygen, & pushing her wheelchair, while the physical therapist helped her walk. She was such a trooper, & she carried on for as long as she could stand, but when home to Heaven on Dec. 20th. Her dear husband Carl, her family & friends, & her sisters by heart, the Calendar Girls will miss her more than we can ever say.

We have promised Carl we will finish her quilts in progress, & help him sort through her things, doing a garage sale for him in the spring.

Today January 4th, is Warren & my 25th wedding anniversary. We got married in a small ceremony, at East Anchorage United Methodist Church in 1990. The only people who knew were our parents, & the few people who were there, & the florist. Later I told my children. Now we are confessing to the world.

We had a bigger wedding on July 4th that years, exactly 6 months later, & that's the anniversary date that most remember. We've been celebrating both, all these years. Twice the fun!

Yesterday, after Carol's memorial service, we went downtown to the Captain Cook Hotel. We had a lovely corner room on the 14th floor.

This was our view of Mount Foraker & Mount McKinley.

& our view of Mount Susitna-Sleeping Lady.

We walked over to Orso's or a lovely dinner.

When we got back to our room the moon was coming up over the Chugach Range.

Shooting through the double pane window made it look like we had 2 moons.

It's the Wolf Moon this month. The natives called it that because it's the time of year the wolves howl because of hunger.

The city glowed as the sun was setting.

In the morning I opened the curtains, just in time to catch the tail end of the Northern Lights dancing across the sky. They lasted for about 5 minutes, then they were finished. 

I wished I had gotten out of bed sooner!

The moon setting over the inlet was spectacular.

Sunrise is long & slow this time of year. The sky in the east was light for more than 2 hours, but the sun hadn't made it above the mountain yet, when we got home around 1010.

We had a great breakfast at the hotel before heading home. It was a smoked salmon omelette that we will go back again for. I liked the view of the Mariner's compass on the wall from the Cubby where we ate.

Outside, by our car standing in 10 degrees, Mary looked beautiful.

When we got home, I added 2 new chickens to my kitchen. They are from my friend Rachel Korshin. She bought them in Mexico, & I thought they were perfect with the table runner that I got as a gift at the Quilt Guild this year. Looks like I'm ready for Cinco de Mayo!

Broccoli was funny when we got home. He ran & played & made us feel welcome.

I feel very blessed.