I'm Back in Alaska, Again!

I answered the phone late yesterday afternoon, to hear a cousin saying..."I didn't know you were coming up to Alaska!" And I had to say back to her..."I didn't know it either!"

But back in my home state of Alaska.....I am. Monday is my mother's 83rd birthday and as were were chatting about that over the phone last Sunday...both she and my 91 year old father said..."we want you to come up for your mom's birthday!"

So, I thought about it on Sunday evening, did my scheduled volunteer work on Monday and Tuesday, bought an airline ticket and packed on Wednesday, and by 1:35 in the afternoon on Thursday I was standing in the Juneau, Alaska airport being greeted by my dad.

It is (as always) beautiful here. It's about 50 degrees and after the heat wave in Oregon, my capris and short sleeved shirt (even with a jacket on top) are not working for me ;) I have been helping out since I arrived and just dropped my mother off at "The Little Mermaid" for her birthday perm and only just found out today that Alaska's governor has been asked to run with John McCain as his running mate.

Now, I don't mean to get into politics, so let's say that out of the two dozen people I have asked for opinions on Alaska's governor (now Vice-President elect nominee) Sarah Palin, well.....she has been a bit of a debate in the Alaskan political arena.

Some feel she has more style than substance...others farther north, just love her. Here, in the Juneau area, residents are unhappy that she has failed to live in the capital city and favored projects that have taken away from Juneau as Alaska's capital.

Touted on national magazines for the last year as Alaska's 'sexy' governor, and many are concerned about her qualifications for national office. There's no doubt that her image has been specifically to target a specific family values audience. Senator McCain has ever only met her one time...before selecting her as his running mate. Apparently, he didn't know anything about her at all, until his people contacted her people. Ah, politics!

So, it feels a little strange to now be in a State where the national focus will be on this state and its governor. But I'm here for family, and that is my own primary focus ;)

I feel a million miles away, right now, from the rest of the world, from my volunteer work, from all of my craft, blog, sewing and quilting projects. And in all of the time that I have balanced all of those worlds, this is a new feeling for me.

Perhaps, it is knowing that my parents are getting older, that my mom is battling Alzheimer's and my father exhausted but steadfast in his care of her. Perhaps, it is because they are wanting much more of me than help and a visit this time.

But it is good to be 'home' and good to be with family and once again as I flew over my beloved mountains, and ice caps, and ocean inlets and lakes, my eyes filled up with not only lush beauty but a few heartfelt tears of connection.

So, no matter what else is happening in the world, in politics, in blogs and bloggers around the world...'There's no place like home!"