JEEBUS FRIES!

getting_weary and I got back from Anchorage yesterday around 4. We had the best trip ever. We only got lost once, and we weren't really lost, we just followed the detour signs in a complete circle. Everyone was out of Anchorage for the holiday weekend, which was strange, but also wonderful, because it meant traffic wasn't bad and we got a great parking space at every store we went to.

We didn't feel rushed at all, either. We got to town, rested at the hotel for a couple hours, then we went to the mall next to the hotel for a while, then the gigantic liquor store across the street (where we got the makings of gin and tonic, and I got some Reisling and some sort of sherry stuff), then Bed, Bath, and Beyond. We ordered a pizza (stuffed crust with pepperoni - our Anchorage tradition) and took it back to the hotel to gorge and fall asleep. The next day we went to the other mall and I got my haircut, my jeans, and my bras, the three main reasons I wanted to go to Anchorage. My 3 pairs of jeans, one pair of capris, and 3 bras only cost me $163 at Penney's. I went up another pant size, but I don't even care because these jeans are so comfy and they make my ass look GOOD. But I would like to mention that bra shopping SUCKS BALLS. But I won't dwell on that, because it was not a significant part of our trip.

We went to Borders and I got 3 new books, then getting_weary treated me to dinner at Chilis, then we went to Walmart. I got beads (though I haven't done anything with beads for years) and some movies (Labyrinth and Willow!) and - get this - my VERY FIRST STRAPLESS BRA! I am a sexy beast.

So, yep. Pretty good trip, all around. :) Didja miss me, LJ?

We just got back from Anchorage. Good trip. Yesterday we got to town, dropped Summer off at the kennel, and got to our car appointment about 10 minutes late. Then we waited for Mel to pick us up (as the courtesy van guy wouldn't be back for another 45 minutes) and we went to JC Penney's so I could get fitted for a bra. The lady went zip, zop with the tape measure and then led me around the lingerie department getting me a C and a D of every kind of granny bra there is.

So I had all these bras with me in the fitting room, mom is running back and forth getting me other sizes and stuff, and all the time poor Mel is sitting outside the fitting room trying to keep little Gabe entertained. Then mom went off and brought back the Terror of Plus-Sizes Everywhere, what she calls a Merry Widow and I call a Bulge-Binding Mechanism.

It was like trying to wrestle myself into a slingshot.

I nearly, on a couple occasions, called for mom to come into the room with me to help me get it on and off, because there were some uncomfortable moments when both my arms were raised above my head at odd angles, my glasses were mashed against my face, my hair was caught in the straps and yanking my head back, and I was getting chilly. Luckily, the prospect of letting anyone see me in such a position was enough to give me some sort of super-human strength, sufficient to stretch the slingshot enough to get my arms into a better position for pushing and pulling and yanking and all that good stuff.

Keep in mind, also, that when I went to bed on Wednesday night, I was developing a sore throat, and by the time I got home from work on Thursday, I was feeling ickier than that. I had the chills Thursday afternoon, and almost didn't go to my painting class (my first in 2 weeks). I didn't get dressed in anything presentable (stained gray sweats and a gray shirt and a knit hat) but I did go and showed my teacher my painting so far, and she said was was very impressed. I didn't stay for the entire class, but I at least went, so that was good. When I woke up on Friday, I took some Dayquil, and that worked well enough for me to drive from about 48 mile to Chikaloon or thereabouts, which is when my eyes started blurring.

After I had finally decided on a couple supportive, comfortable, lacy (granny) bras and sufficiently comfortable slingshot, we met Mel in the food court, where she had taken Gabe to feed him. We had smoothies and then it was time for mom and I go meet our cousins for dinner, which made us feel bad. We hadn't meant to use Mel as a chauffeur. Anyway, she took us back to pick up our car, and I rode with her to her apartment and mom came by a few minutes later to pick me up, and we were on our way.

We got to Jim and Sally's and hopped into their car, whereupon they took us to Little Italy. Where we...needed a reservation. So we went to Mexico in Alaska instead, which was very tasty. By the time we got back to their place, I was feeling more craptastic than I had been, so we all sat in the living room and the three of them talked while I slumped in Sally's very comfy cushy chair and stared at the cat, who stared back at me in between bites of his live potted catnip. I could see his pupils dilating.

I got ready for bed and took a couple Nyquil, then just kind of lay on the chair and felt my head get lighter and body get heavier. Right around the time everyone dispersed to get themselves ready for bed, I noticed a spider on the wall. I waited for someone to walk past so I could point at it, but no one did, so in a mighty feat of strength I sat up, grabbed a kleenex, and killed it (and only almost fell off the chair once).

I don't think I slept at all during the night, I think I was just dozing.

This morning we got up and had breakfast (Jim made a sourdough quiche) and then mom called Mel (as my voice was completely gone) and off we went to meet her at Michael's. I got some painting stuff I needed, then we walked over to Border's where I got a book I didn't need but wanted. Then we went to Walmart to get me some Dayquil and pajamajams, and Mel had to take off for an appointment she had, so mom and I went and picked up the dog, dropped by her CPA's office to say hi, and then went to find someplace to park for Cats. We rolled the windows down a little and parked in a garage, and left out some water for Sum, then we went to the performance. Our seats were in the balcony, which means we were quite a ways from the stage, and we only had one pair of crappy binocs between us, but we were in the middle section and it was very fun. Good show.

Then it was time to head home. We got to Glenallen without anything eventful happening (though we did see a cow moose on the side of the road) and by then it was twilight but mom asked if I was up to driving anyway, and I said yes, because she'd been driving for 3 hours.

The best part, though, happened about 15 or 20 minutes after leaving Glenallen.

A particularily unimpressive spot of light flickered in the sky. Mom said, "Aurora."

It's been a while since I've seen them, and I've definitely seen better than that, but I kept my eye on it anyway. It got brighter and turned into a ribbon, so I pulled over. It still wasn't very bright, but better than I've seen in years. It was just that whitish-green color they usually are, but it was brighter and undulating and pulsing, so I got out of the car and stood in the wind for a few minutes to watch it. Nice.

I got back in the car and we drove on. Next time it started to flare up, I just pulled onto the side of the road.

We probably sat there for 10 or 15 minutes. Everytime I thought it would die, it pulsed up again. Then it was two ribbons, and it wasn't just white, it was green and lavender too. It danced and flickered and raced through the sky, going right above us several times so I could stick my head out the window and look straight up and watch it. It looked really close.

About the time it was starting to die again, Summer started getting antsy and running around in the backseat. I can only assume the solar dust was making her nose twitch or something.

Then I almost hit a fox coming off the pass, but eh.

Now I'm home and I'm going to bed. Yes.