Alaska Living: 7/25/10

Eriky's 36th Birthday--Happy Birthday Bro!

I was given the gift of a buddy pass from a former Delta employee and as a result a lot of things worked out great this summer, as far as unplanned timing goes. One of those things was that I was able to spend my brother's birthday with him in Detroit on my way back to Alaska from N.C. This was something that i was hoping for when I decided to go down and visit Bill but wasn't 100% sure it would happen, I'm so glad it did. It was the first birthday I've spent with my little brother in years.

North Carolina Highlights

Zoey (5 years old) and Bill, a little extreme father daughter bonding.

Dennis reliving his goalie days.

North Carolina is not a place for the vertically challenged, or motorcycles with poor front breaks.

Zoey's afternoon nap

Both Zoey and Alya-poster children for "the battle against childhood obesity". I was humbled each morning as they kicked my butt in both pull and push ups.

Backseat cute masseuse. Charge for services; 1 water bottle or 1 cap (that may or may not ever be seen again).

Have to hand it to Bill, if he's going to decide to live in 98 degrees humidity, he sure picked the right friends to play with. Spending a few hours on the lake was a welcomed treat.

This was Dennis's maiden cross country voyage on his motorcycle. He had just ridden a section of the road called "The Tail Of The Dragon" and lived to tell the "tail" "smile".: TAIL OF THE DRAGON AT DEALS GAP, with 318 curves in 11 miles, is America's number one motorcycle and sports car road.

Bill is the soccer coach for his daughter (Alya)'s team.

The beautiful timber-framed home that Bill built. This photo doesn't do it justice.

Bill and his beautiful girls (Zoey 5 an Alya 10)

Alya and her friend loving it!

Sometimes these emails pull me through some of the craziest times of my life

POSITIVE QUOTE OF THE DAY
-----------------------------

I am convinced that the world is not a mere bog in which men and
women trample themselves and die. Something magnificent is taking
place here amidst the cruelties and tragedies, and the supreme
challenge to intelligence is that of making the noblest and best in
our curious heritage prevail.

-- C.A. Beard

A couple of the best friends a girl could have

Wilksboro, North Carolina July, 2010
Bill and Dennis have been there, kept me laughing and put up with me through every major event in my life since I was 17. The best friends/big brothers (sometimes little brothers) a girl could ever have. I got to hang out with them in NC together this summer, the first time the 3 of us were together in 3 years and was totally unplanned..I squeezed in a quick trip to see Bill in between visiting my mom till the 18th and my brother's birthday on the 23rd, as well as a potential sailing trip on the 25. Dennis just happen to be down there on a motorcycle trip and stopped by to see Bill. I knew he might get a chance to stop by for a bit but didn't expect to be down there in time or get to spent 2 days with the two together. Would never happen again like that in a million years. Hard to believe and I do wish some things turned out differently, but it was so great to spend time with the boys together again. With all the bush flying I do, a girl starts to realize what's truly important in her life and besides Ben and Jerry's ice cream "smile", I've learned that great friends and family are most important-and these guys are the top end of the list and will always be. This summer, for me, was about spending time with the people I really cared about, I didn't really have a plan but I'm so happy that I got to spend time with the most important people in my life. I've also learned on this trip that no matter how much you want to, you just can't ever go back-life is about change and it just keeps moving forward (which is sometimes a saving grace and sometimes a pain in the arsk). This summer proved to be both.

Although, I consider them my family, I'm not sure when or if I'll ever be in the same room with these two handsome men again (life is constantly changing and presenting new challenges), but I'm thankful for every minute I had this summer... Bill and Dennis, if you are reading this, you are a couple of dorks, but you are my dorks, and both more important to me than Ben and Jerry (and that says a lot). "smile" I'm so sorry for the individual challenges and struggles you are both facing right now (and my unintentional part in it) but know that there is sunshine and blue skies ahead-how could there not be for great guys like you.. You have and will always have the love, prayers and support of this crazy blond arctic gypsy friend of yours, so hopefully that means something..Nothing means more to me than seeing you two happy (sappy but the truth). Thanks for always making me laugh! Thanks for always being there! Thanks for your friendship and sacrifices! It meant a lot spending time with both of you this summer. For what it's worth, even though we were in NC, it really felt like home.

Marquette, Michigan July 2007

Marquette, Michigan July 2010

My beautiful home town of Marquette, Michigan. It's always a great summer when I get to spend a nice chunk of time here. This is where my oldest and most weathered friends are (poor folks), where I feel most at home, and where I smile the biggest. It was really nice catching up with friends and getting to hang out with mother dearest. Highlights included, having a "Joe Dirt" party with the Economedies family (complete with Dirt Pie), taking a hike along Pictured Rocks National Shoreline with my mom, exploring the mtn bike trails with Dennis, sailing (including a 4th of July sail with my mom on the beautiful Coaster II) with great friends, running up Sugar Loaf, swimming daily in Lake Superior, teaching mom to kayak on Deer Lake, eating Gilberts ice cream, and visiting my Alaska friends up at their lakeshore pad in Big Bay. Below is the cutest couple on the planet, and a couple of my closest homegrown friends (Niko and Jill-Just Married Can You Tell?) Gotta Love Them!