Here he is...

Here is the new addition to the family! They are continuing to keep busy around the yard and go off in the car once in a while coming back with lots of interesting packages. Nothing for me to eat yet! One thing, a weird motorized contraption came and went and came and went before never returning this last time. SHE said the weed-wacker was a waste...well it got the worst of the tall grass out of the yard but after the 2nd time failing it was gotten rid of! SHE came back with these hand clipper things and kept trimming around. HE and Uncle He moved rocks (why is beyond me). They thought they were working so hard, but at the end of the day were amazed at how small the pile was! We (Grizzly and I) aren't being allowed in the house, except for our special room downstairs ever since these other men came and made the carpet all flowery smelling. SHE says we need to wait until Uncle-HE leaves to prevent his death from allergies. When he leaves is a big question at the moment. Unemployed, college grad with a year before maybe heading for law school...he's at loose ends. He might stay with us in Fairbanks if he can get a job, or he might stay a few months as he looks into the peace corps...or or or. SHE and HE are happy to have him, there is enough space downstairs...or talk of a small cabin circulates. Another building for us to explore! As for all our stuff...we have heard we'll be waiting another two weeks before my kong resurfaces and my special egg. HE and SHE continue to camp on the floor in sleeping bags, I have my bed at least! I dont get much sleep. The sun doesn't seem to know when to go down around here. I eat my dinner and play a bit, waiting for the sign to go to bed, but my eyes are drooping big time before it comes...and then the sun is still up! At midnight it's like early evening and then the sun dips below the mountain at 2 or so in the morning and it's dawn around 3;30! Crazy place!

More arrivals...

Sorry, no pictures today. HE took the regular laptop with him to the auto shop where the car needs to be investigated for odd noises on braking. No actual brake problems...afterall it continued to stop the last 2000 miles of the trip and SHE had brakes repaired before leaving, but thought it should be investigated just in case. Afterall home now involves 3 miles straight down to get to the main highway to town and wheeee wouldn't that be fun with no brakes! With HE taking the regular laptop...complete with photo album and Kodak program SHE is left with the new laptop (not a hardship, just no photos on file)..so we'll make due with just news for now. By the way, HE is being very sweet by dealing with car problems as that is almost his least favorite thing to do. The lawn is now undercontrol (except for one small detail) and we can enjoy the gorgeous view out the front windows thanks to two days of window washing. SHE has been swearing a bit at the fun of cleaning venetian blinds, but otherwise pretty quiet. So...the small detail that's not undercontrol...HE and SHE disappeared the day after we arrived and didn't return alone! They brought this skinny upstart into the yard and then gave him free access to the house (not Uncle-HE at this point, he hadn't arrived yet) When SHE talked to Grand-SHE, SHE said there was now a Grizzly in the yard. You can imagine how Grand-SHE reacted to this news. Her greatest fear of the wilds of Alaska was coming true. After a bit, it became clear that this Grizzly didn't pose much danger as his modus operandi was more to crawl on his belly and gently lick fingers. Anyway, I barked, bullied and growled to no avail. He was still allowed free access and even given a bed and bowl of food. That was a bit rough to deal with I admit...food has always been just for me! I must say though, this guy is much more fun to chase through the fields, boy can he move. I'm not admitting to age or weight or anything but sometimes pinning him to the ground is the only way for me to win! Evenings are more entertaining now too, with a large empty space inside and someone with boundless energy to wrestle with...HE and SHE commented on the peace during watching a movie. (I know they truly missed my attentions!) Other new news. Uncle HE arrived on Tuesday afternoon...at least two days earlier than expected. HE had a great time on the motorcycle cross country and taking the ferry from Washington to Haines AK. Uncle HE received a loud welcome (I've gotten over my barking hesitation. I have to keep this new property safe afterall, and now a second chimes in no problem). SHE and HE were pleased to see him, gave the tour and heard some stories. Grizzly is a bit slow to warm up to him despite my example. Grizz growls and skirts the edges, maybe it was the height and all that black leather....a bit daunting. He better warm up fast though if he wants to get as many treats as I'm accustomed to! THEY all disappeared for the evening and came back with great smells and talk of visiting new neighbors...carry over friends from when the other Uncle HE lived in Fairbanks. These neighbors have chickens, goats, pet dog, sled dogs and kids! Great smells! They oohhhed and ahhhed at the homestead these new neighbors have established. A great selfbuilt house, cabin (she makes goat milk soap in it!) and a new barn for the goats. Maybe someday we can hope to have such nice outbuildings and furry friends! HE was making very interested noises. First projects will be to reinforce the foundations of what outbuildings we have, get the chicken coop ready for next summer and build a pig pen and fence...HE's dead set on a feeder pig. We'll see what materializes next spring! So pictures promised of the new view and our Grizzly soon!

What a long strange trip its been!

Well, after leaving the 'chainsaw capital of the world' (SHE was no fun...she didn't let me pee on any of them) we headed off on our journey (ie.more napping). We reached the start of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, BC...and I was rudely awakened at Mile 38 by a loud sound. They informed me that we had received our first windshield ding. A nice big starburst crack, hallmark of the Alaska Highway! We stayed that night at Charlie's lake Provincial park, just outside Fort St. John, BC. We took a nice walk to the lake through woods with trees scarred by itchy antlers. They actually locked us in the park until 7am, you can imagine how HE, early riser that he is reacted to this inconvenience (just kidding SHE says he took it philosophically and we just ate breakfast before heading out).We stopped at Summit lake for a hike...the highest point on the Alaska highway. We slept at Liard hot springs, BC...where the soaking (at least according to HE and SHE) was very nice...no dogs allowed in the hot spring so all I got was eaten by mosquitoes. The next morning we crossed into the Yukon and stopped at a strange place called Watson lake. There was this forest of signposts..again SHE did not allow me to pee! Instead SHE took my tag with the Connecticut address and nailed it to a post!We stopped in Whitehorse for a break at her insistence. We walked a beautiful bike path that ran along the Yukon river (its the color of the Caribbean but somehow I think its not as warm!) We saw something called a salmon ladder but there were no fish just yet. After our walk we stopped at a Backerei (another German restaurant). SHE oohed and ahhed over a Linzer torte, and saved me just a scrap. That night we drove late and HE and SHE got a little soft because they decided to spring for a hotel, and they even found one in Burwash Landing that allowed me to join them for a small fee:-) They had discussed the fact that as the rest of the household things wouldn't be arriving for 2-5 weeks more it might be nice to take this chance to sleep in a bed. I slept great but they didn't seem all that thrilled with the quality of the mattress...the last one for a few weeks proved to be a bit droopy. We arrived at the Alaska border at 9am, the last time change (one more hour back for a total of 4 during the trip) and who should we run into but a busload of, you guessed it, Germans! HE was nice enough to take group photos with 20odd cameras! We ate at Teslin, breaked in Tok and reached Delta Jct at 1:45,more pictures as SHE and HE said it was the end of the Alaska hwy and almost home...whatever that is! We pulled up early in the evening to this brown house with a big front porch and quite a view. They let me in and I wandered...lots of interesting smells, some dogs have been here before!They let me wade through the fenced in yard...HE mentioned the effects 24 hours of sunlight has on grass when left to itself for a couple months! All I know is I couldn't see much. We then explored a field and I marked my new territory. North to the future...we have arrived!

Almost there....

Well...HE and SHE have been letting me sleep ALOT in the car lately. Pretty much all day:-) And today I here something about Mile 0...the beginning. Seems odd to me, I thought we'd been traveling. (SHE here...actually we're almost to Mile 0 of the Alaska Hwy. We are making good time, enjoying ourselves but at the same time anxious to reach our destination) Suess again, I wrestled back control! We spent last night at a lovely smelling place. I spent some good time smelling out small squeaky things before bed. We got a few drips of rain early in the evening in Mount Robson Provincial Park last night, but then the clouds moved on and therainbows came out, and we were able to finish eating dinner dry and take a nice walk along a gorgeous glacial blue river...HE and SHE kept calling out things like 'Yo Bear' and clapping. Strange behavior! Before that we visited Peter Lougheed P.P. That was gorgeous we had some good hikes and enjoyed lovely weather. HE got a bit tense after that as we headed for a place called Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper park. There were alot of other dogs around (and people of course. Interesting for me but a bit annoying for HE...SHE did a bit better but seemed happy too, to leave them behind and head farther up into British Columbia. Right now I am exploring some amazing wood carvings in the chain saw carving capital of the world in Chetwynd B.C. I'm off to pee!

Mid-way...well not quite

Hey there,
I've been spending hours and hours in the car. Luckily HE and SHE have relaxed a bit and I can stretch out on the back seat..well at least half way until I prop my head on the cooler. After spending time in VT and saying lots of goodbyes we hopped in the car and they welcomed me to Canada...whyever not I'm such a good guy. I spent the night in a strange room at another Grand-He and SHE's house. It was fun early in the evening as there was a cute little one to play with and a somewhat bigger one who had a ball and took me for a walk! I also got a bit of ham from an honorary 'easter dinner'. We set off at the b***-crack of dawn according to SHE. And passed through a place called Montreal. SHE fell asleep and I admit I did too until well past Ottawa. HE was so excited he had driving duty. We saw lots of interesting things and finally ended the day at Chutes provincial park with a nice walk along a river and waterfall.
I found out this trip might be even more fun when I was invited into the tent at night! Next morning bright and early they set me in the car again and off we went, beautiful countryside across the upper great lakes in Ontario. We stayed in Sleeping Giant Provincial park...another gorgeous site but with not too intelligent ducks who just wouldn't take my hint and fly away...they came back and back again. We got off to a bit of a rocky start due to HE's excitement and his waking up at 4 in the morning...bumbling around and waking the campground according to SHE...and waking SHE who was a bit grumpy about it all and decided to pack it in and were on the road by 5:30. A long day later we ended at River P.P. in Manitoba, and of all things discovered a delicious German restaurant! I was even treated to leftover schnitzel! It was just a little blip town...never know what you'll find. I spent the night guarding he and she again against weird outdoor sounds. SHE was happy that severe thunderstorms didn't materialize and HE was pleased the roof didn't cave in with gusty winds. Manitoba is wierd was the consensus...and HE was really glad he didn't pursue a postdoc in Winnepeg!.THis morning we just entered Saskatchewan and are at the information center where I just had my morning constitutional and enjoyed smelling prairie dog holes. Wonder where we'll end today! Take care all and hopefully they'll find placed where I can post again!

Abandoned

This is SHE...in the mad throes of final packing. Suess abandoned the last ditch efforts to pack and instead decided to stay by the lake with Grand-HE and SHE and one of his uncles. We had a great visit. Seeing family, Great Grand-SHE turned 80 so all the family was there, and friends. So nice to keep in contact with old high-school friends even if its just once a year or so. We fit in hiking, biking, swimming, water-skiing, a Montreal visit and a lesson on spinning from a very helpful woman at the Old Stone museum in the Northeast Kingdom. Anyway, while Suess stays lounging on the deck receiving treats at every turn, I returned to HE and the eighty-plus degree condo...with the dripping central air conditioner (that I don't dare run anymore and sorry, sorry to the new owner....hopefully it's just condensation from the 90% humidity!) I now have about 20 open boxes and lack the commitment to fill them leaving us sitting in the middle of the rug with nothing to do....but I think the time has arrived. I'm watching the last episode of Northern Exposure that I'll be able to fit in before packing the tv, vcr and dvd player. They'll top off more boxes and then seal and stack. Two more boxes are ready to send media mail and I'll be set to clean tomorrow. Oh joy, my favorite part. We're getting rather antsy...ready to be on the road, away from the heat, humidity, and car alarms:-) Hopefully won't come to regret the lack of heat too soon! Uncle-HE has already hit the road. Suess said his good-byes and is looking forward to receiving alaskan treats from his uncle. He won't be missing the last drive from Connecticut, hope he doesn't mind not getting to say his own goodbyes. I go to knitting at least for a drop in tonight to say more goodbyes. Zarzuela and Nomad are already on their way. HE goes to the German circle tonight to say goodbyes of his own, and I'll try to swing by too. Hopefully we'll be posting together again from the road as we head....North to the Future!