Aug 11, 2011 - Last Post from Nikiski

Thursday, I went to North Star United Methodist Church to take some food to the food pantry and stayed while several folks came for food for their families. One fellow came in a truck and got food for his mother, his family, and a couple of neighbors that had no transportation. Another man came in on a 4-wheeler as he had no other transportation and who had three children; he only had a wood stove to cook on so he has no way to bake anything. The church is providing a great service to these folks who have fallen on bad times. In the...

Aug 1, 2011 - Week's Activities from Nikiski to Kenai to Homer and Return

This will be a catch-up for my blog from July 23 through August 1, 2011. After going fishing for red sockeye salmon on Wednesday, July 20th, I got a really bad respiratory infection and haven’t felt like keeping up with my blog. So I will try to bring you all up-to-date with this entry. Marvin went on another overnight halibut fishing trip on the Nautilis II Saturday and Sunday. He and the rest of the folks on the charter all got their limit—4 apiece. None of the halibut were large, but they were all just the right size for delicious...

Jul 17, 2011 - Captain Cook State Park

Our last day in Homer was another beautiful, sunny day. The weather is more often cloudy and rainy than sunny, so to have another nice day is worth mentioning. We stayed an extra day in Homer in order to join Luke, Judy (aka Cool Judy), Frank, Gloria, Tom, and Paula for dinner at the Elks Club Friday night. Frank and Gloria were at Teklanika Campground in Denali while we were there; the rest of the group we met at Riley Creek Campground. It has been nice getting to know these folks (all Escapees) a little better and look forward to seeing...

Jul 14, 2011 - Trips to Soldotna and Kenai

Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Today we travelled to Soldotna for a visit to Central Peninsula Hospital (Infusion Center) for my three-month blood work and to have my port flushed. I’ve been checked so now I have to wait to hear the results. Hopefully, everything will be OK since I’m feeling fine. We also tried out the restaurant/sports bar called “Buckets”. They had great clam chowder! Atmosphere was a bit noisy, but the food was delicious. Then it was off to Fred Meyer to pick up some groceries. They have been having beautiful fruit and...

Jul 9, 2011 - What's Happening in Nikiski, AK

Tuesday, July 5th: We went to Soldotna to the doctor’s office so that Marvin could get a Coumadin check. Then we drove out to Sterling to Suzie’s Café for lunch. After lunch we checked at Radio Shack to see if the Blackberry had arrived—since it hadn’t, we drove over to the visitors’ center and walked down to see where the fish walk was located. So far the salmon “reds” are not in on the Kenai River in Soldotna. Since we still had some time to kill, I got my hair cut. I had been trying to decide where to go, but thought the place someone at...

Jul 8, 2011 - Exploring Northwestern Kenai Peninsula

The Kenai Peninsula has an area of more than 15,000 square miles. It is known as Alaska's Playground. We will chip away at it a piece at a time and leave much of it unexplored. The Kenai is world renowned for its wide-ranging fishing opportunities. Four species of salmon by the hundreds of thousands find their way into the Peninsula's bays, river, and lakes. The largest King Salmon of all, weighing close to 100 pounds, was caught on the lower Kenai River. We packed a lunch and headed to the city of Kenai. After stopping at the visitors'...

Jul 3, 2011 - News from Nikiski, AK

A few days ago, Marvin and I were sitting at the table enjoying a pizza from Charlie's and just happened to look at the school window (which is reflective)--the sun was shining and a beautiful Mt Spurr was reflected in the window. It was awesome! However, yesterday was probably the hardest and longest rain we have had here. Today (Sunday) we had a really nice potluck after church at North Star UMC. This was Pastor Steve Eldred's first Sunday. The congregation is very welcoming and we are enjoying going there. The day has been beautiful...

Jun 27, 2011 - Kenai and Nikiski

We drove to Kenai on the Cook Inlet and Nikiski which is the last stop going north on the Kenai Spur Hwy. You can see across the bay to the Mount Redoubt Volcano. Kenai was settled by the Russians and you can still see some of the architecture on the churches.

Jun 16, 2011 - Earthquake -- Cook Inlet

Exciting News From Nikiski! Earthquake in Cook Inlet Area Very Close To Us! The Alaska Earthquake Information Center located a moderate earthquake today at 11:06 AM. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.21 and was located at a depth of 32 miles. The quake was widely felt throughout the Cook Inlet region with strongest shaking in Soldotna and Sterling. The quake was felt as far north as Talkeetna. The quake was centered 19 miles north of Soldotna and 21 miles south of Tyonek and 76 miles southwest of Willow....

Jun 7, 2011 - School-stedding @ Nikiski HS

We woke up to rain and about 3 pm we did a garbage run and it was 49 degrees. The rain stopped around 10 am, but the sun hasn't been out. Yesterday, it was really nice. Think we may have rain again tomorrow and then sunshine for a few days. Marvin went to Soldotna yesterday to pick up our last mail addressed to the Kenai Peninsula School Borough--we now will receive our mail in Nikiski. Anyway he stopped at WalMart and picked up a prescription for me--am having a urinary track problem, but that should fix me up. I didn't go with him and it...

Jun 2, 2011 - Day Trips to Homer, Soldotna & Kenai

This will be a combined Wednesday and Thrusday blog entry. We drove down to Homer yesterday to visit with Marvin’s brother, John, and his family, Trish, Axel and Eryn. Their home is about six miles out of Homer just off the the East End Road. (Dean, you will know about where that is, maybe close to your acreage.) Axel is 14 and Eryn is 11. Both are into lots of activities—Axel is in a marimba band with seven other fellows, he fences, and volunteers at the Sea Life Center in Seward and at the Museum in Homer. Eryn is into Greek mythology,...

May 31, 2011 - Trip to Hospital, Restaurant & Quilt Shop!

Today has been a rainy, cloudy day. Went to Soldotna after lunch for my appointment at the Peninsula Hospital "infusion center". Needed to have my port flushed. There was a bit of a mix-up since another patient's name is Elaine and her last name sort of sounded like mine. Anyway all is well and the RN that flushed the port took good care of me and it didn't even hurt when he stuck me. After we left the hospital we tried to find the quilt shop that I had visited once before, but we couldn't find it. So went to the Caribou Restaurant and had...