Back to reality...

Back home at the edge of the northwoods ...We have returned to Taylorsoutback...after 2 months on the road gathering memories to last forever....

Finding time to update this blog has taken a back seat to other demands - overwhelming yard work (our lawns were taken care of but - oh my! the gardens and raised beds....it is a jungle out there!

Our Dave and Jena are staying with us while they get settled in new jobs and check out area housing options. I am being spoiled as they shoo me out of the kitchen to pitch in with meals and cleanup or lend helping hands in the gardens. Our house is filled with dogs, laughter, new recipes to try, books to share and watching preseason Packer football.

My Mom was so happy to see us and know her family is safe and close by...

When evening comes and there is some down time, out comes the stitching...it can be repair work on a 2003 quilt which mysteriously has a little chewed corner -

This involves removing all the binding, reinforcing the corner and adding new binding.

Compliments of little Miss Innocent...who admits to nothing...

Or concentrating on joining rows for the first of 4 borders - Di Ford's Drayton Hall...there are way too many major projects in the works and I just want to focus on one for now until things settle into some sort of routine.

Do you know that feeling of wanting to be in eight places at once? That's where I am now...

Pat - home again - still dreaming of mountains and turquoise blue waters...

Moraine Lake -Banff Provincial Park

 

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Celebrating 50 years together...

....our wedding anniversary is officially August 20th. Our son and daughter-in-law told us they would treat Mr. Outback and I to dinner out while in Alaska in honor of our 50th wedding anniversary. Other than having heard about Seven Glaciers Restaurant on top of Mt. Alyeska, south of Anchorage, we had no idea what actually dining there would be like.

It was the most memorable evening ever...we arrived at the Alyeska Resort at the base of the mountain and made our way to the gates of the tramway that would take us 2300 ft. up.

What a stunning perspective as we smoothly ascended, being passed on the opposite side by the other tram heading down the mountain...oh to be an eagle and fly!

When we reached the top, we stepped out onto the platform and looked down at the valley below and across to the Cook Inlet and mountain range.

We were escorted to the dining room accompanied by Happy Anniversary wishes from the staff (our son had planned ahead when making reservations)....

...mesmerized by the jaw dropping views below and around us as we were seated...

And savored a long, leisurely dinner - first over glasses of wine and delicate crab cake appetizers..

An elegant scallop bisque soup was presented along with our entrees and for dessert, Baked Alyeska....

Somehow we found room for these artistic, handmade chocolates...

 

As we waited for the tram to take us back down, we could see some of the seven glaciers for which the restaurant is named....

Where did the years ago? How did we get to this time in our lives? Here we are both at 72 years old...50 years together - through thick and thin - 2 years apart because of Vietnam, many moves as the Army dictated, a shared grief over the loss of our first baby, new homes and travel after retirement...and the joy of seeing our son and his Jena begin their lives together...Mr. Outback promised me long ago our lives would not be boring - he was so right! As the sundial in our garden says...

Grow old with me...the best is yet to be!

 

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