Road trip to Fairbanks

Last week, I decided to hop in my car and drive up to Fairbanks for Heather's thesis defense and also to visit friends. For some reason, logistics were more complicated than usual.

Thursday:
Load Emma and Otter into the car. Pick up Anna in Anchorage. Get lost because I wrote down the street name incorrectly. 6 hours on the Parks Highway. Watch 5 caribou cross the road. Drop off Anna at home. Crash at Adrian's.

Friday:
Get up, drop dogs off at Josh & Anna's at 7am because the place where Heather & Paul are staying at don't allow pets. Go to the gym. Meet up with Rebecca in her office. Go to Heather's thesis defense. Chat with Sasha. Chat with Pat. Go back to Rebecca & Brook's office. Wait for Heather to get out of her closed door session. Find Kevin to pick a rifle to bring back to Anchorage for JP. Wait for Heather some more. YAY! Heather made it out! Champagne celebration. Brook & I head to the gym. Brook drops me off at the Pump House. I have dinner with Alan & Martha. Brook picks me up. We go to Abby's for Heather's post-defense potluck. Everyone wants to go to bed. Drop off Brook at home, pick up Emma at Josh & Anna's. go back to Adrian's and in bed by 1130pm.

Saturday/Sunday:
Brunch at Rebecca & Torsten's with Nick & Trish. Meet up with Alan at the school. Julie picks me up after her class at 530pm and we head over to Delta Junction to visit the Masons. Spend the night. try to leave the next morning. Caz & Nellie ran off. finally come back. finally leave Delta. Pick up my car at school. Go to the animal shelter and pick up a dog for a nice woman in Anchorage who had an ad on Craig's List. Pick up Anna at Josh's. Head back to Anchorage. New dog tries to tunnel his way out of my car for 6 hours, in turn making Emma very nervous. Drop new guy off at the Eagle River exit. Drop off Anna. Back at Heather & Paul's. Sleep for 12 hours.

Dr. Wilson's champagne toast!
Congrats Heather!

the ritual popping the champagne cork at the ceiling, then signing your name and graduation date in the vicinity of where the cork hit the ceiling.
see that black chicken scratch behind where Heather is writing?
that's me!

Brook giving Heather a post-defense rub

Ellie started this ritual of the spanking machine at the post-defense potlucks.
Ellie, it wasn't the same without you there.
Definitely some resistance.
But Heather got her spanking.

Saturday brunch
Torsten brought out some weird european liquor.

Torsten & Mathias made this really neat drum

Julie with mini-Mason!!!

Julie took the next two photos. I think her quote on her blog is:
'i don't know... would these faces elicit a smile from you?'
too bad I can't post the video of Julie blowing strawberries at Wyatt... :)

Caz trying to kiss the baby

Emma wearing the nursing pillow

look at those little feet!

Emma and Otter back in Anchorage