Alaska

There's a show about Alaska on right now on the History channel. Makes me homesick for that wild land and the great friends and experiences we had up there. I wouldn't mind going back there except for the fact that it's 6,000 miles from our family. I don't think I could bear that again. Mama died while I was up there and I couldn't get to her to say goodbye. I don't ever want to go through that again.

I do miss the hiking and rappelling in that rugged, snake-free wilderness. NC has beautiful mountains and woods, I know, but there's that whole snake thing that keeps me from relaxing and letting nature do its work. :-) At least here, I have the beach. I really missed the beach when we were in Alaska. We got to go a couple of times this summer and I loved it. I could stay out on the beach all day, no matter the weather. But my husband only does the outdoors for a few hours at a time then he's ready to go in (except when we were in Alaska, he could go rock climbing all day). He likes swimming in the ocean and he's a lot of fun for the kids. For me, by the time everyone gets settled, fed or whatever, I'm ready to relax and read a book or something but then it's time to go in. I've thought about driving to the beach by myself sometimes but I'm so used to corralling a tribe that I don't think I'd know how to go on a trip by myself. Sad but true. Then again, I don't know if I'd really have much fun without the family. I get such a kick out of watching them in their care-free playtime and I like the family time, too.