the after 30 part...

A little over three years ago, I was sitting in a cafe in Turkey with my then-boyfriend, Hans-Eric, and I had my first big anxiety attack.  The cafe had a view of the sea that I will never forget.  It was a beautiful day, a calm turquoise blue ocean, and I remember sitting there, trying so hard to pretend everything was okay.  "Just focus on the horizon, look at the sea, just breathe."  I didn't want Hans-Eric to see me freaking out.  I was like a duck on water, calm and collective on the outside, but scared and paddling like hell underneath it all.  The day before I woke up anxious, Hans-Eric and I were happy.  We were on vacation in Turkey for a wedding of one of Han's colleagues.  It was also the same week as his 30th birthday.  I remember walking through town with him, holding his hand, looking at silly tourist items, and saying no to the pushy vendors.  We came upon a...

In the last ten years that I have been to Skagway, I think I have only seen three 4th of July's.  I usually travel to Ketchikan, and last year I was stuck in Italy, or wait, was it Prague? hahaha *rich person sitting on a yacht laugh. (j/k)  Considering Ketchikan's weather this year, I'm glad I stuck around in the blue skied Skagway.   Marcos and I woke early and walked to the end of the block to watch the parade, which Marcos said "...was better than any Cadiz parade, because it was more genuine and personal."  The theme was "Old Fashioned" and old fashioned is what Skagway eminates on a daily basis.  From the old Fords and Chevy's to Jeff Smith's Parlor, the parade was the definite treat of the day. Afterwards, Marcos and I joined the egg toss, (see video below) and watched the many contests; tug of war, arm wrestling, slow bike race (it took forever!), train spikes, basketball, Uncle Sam Look a like, and horse shoe.  We finished the d...

Rhubarb Chicken wings?  Pulled pork Rhubarb burgers?  Rhubarb Pie?  I'm in.  The Skagway Rhubarb Festival was hosted at Jewell Gardens Saturday night.  Serving their yummy dinner, beer and wine, Marcos and I bundled up in the cold windy gardens and started filling our bellies.  There was a pie eating contest, a pie walk (Marcos won a pie!), a contest for the longest Rhubarb stalk, a cooking contest and much more!  I entered the cooking contests with white chocolate coconut rhubarb cookies, with vanilla cream frosting, but I lost.  (Thank you Paul & Peggy Hovik for the Rhubarb!) The cookies turned out delicious.  I had four today.  Don't judge me. Pie Eating Contest Great shot! The Steam Rollers, a local band.  The guy with the shades is one of my employees, Dave. Longest Stalk contest How silly we got after the party from all the SUGAR!

Most of you know my amazing friend Miss Barbie Hull , and if you don't, then you SHOULD!  Barbie and I have known each other since high school and she is one of the silliest persons I know.  So silly, that she has a blog called 'I love Facedowns '.  Facedowns?? What is a facedown? This is a facedown. Just like it sounds, laying face down.  And it's  HYSTERICAL!  Ps. that's Matt! She gets so many submissions every week for her Facedown Friday blog posts, that King 5 heard wind of it and wrote an article about it and it was also on TV!  Check out her latest facedown post of Michelle's Bridesmaids in Ketchikan, AK!  I'm the one in front, the blonde!