Alaska, Part 3: Anan Wildlife Observatory – Bears! (July 13)

Every day there was one included excursion on the ship, but each day had several "premium" excursions. (What a shock!) I saw there was one excursion to a wildlife observatory where you could see bears, and I thought this was the one excursion Vic would have really loved. It was also the most expensive excursion. (What a shock!)

I am a legendary noodler when it comes to making decisions. Should I buy this thing or not? Should I go to this place or not? And even when I decide, I keep noodling. Should I get this color or that? Should I get this brand or that? If I had died first, I guarantee you this would be the thing that Vic would have missed the least. And the part of this particular character trait he hated most was how, even once I make a final decision, I might still offer up a new option. This was most common among our restaurant outings.

Me: Do you want to go to Chili's, Red Robin or Buffalo Wild Wings?

Vic: Chili's sounds good.

Me: OOH! Or Texas Roadhouse? I forgot about that.

Vic: 🤬

But back to the bears. I knew I really wanted to go, and I don't know why I didn't make the decision right away. It was just noodly me, I guess. Anyway, you can tell by the title of the post that I decided to go, and man, I was not disappointed!

The Anan Bear Observatory is located in the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in America. It is 30 miles from Wrangell, and it took us an hour to get there in a speed boat. (And although Vic would have loved the destination, he would have hated the journey—he wasn't great on boats.)

I'm fine on boats, however, and even though it was a long ride, the scenery was still beautiful:

My second seal sighting!

The speed boat trip is followed by a mile-long hike up to the observatory. It was not a difficult hike—uphill all the way but a gentle slope, and I didn't need hiking boots (which was good because I don't know where I would have put them—everything I carried was packed to the gills!). It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining all day long.

We passed this plant, which our guide told us not to use as toilet paper. You can't see it (sorry—remember, I'm not the photographer in the family), but the leaves and the stems are basically covered in spikes.

At one point on the hike, our guide stopped. No big deal, just a bear that wanted to cross in front of us with no barriers between us and her. 😬 (This is maybe 50 feet from me.)

Finally, we got to the sign! Taking a picture in front of the sign was a time-honored tradition in the Love family, and I was not going to pass up this opportunity. (Jeremy the photographer snapped this shot.)

I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no, I don't know why I took my purse. (Oh, wait—it's because I'm my mother's daughter.) OH! Now I remember! It's because I wanted to take a pair of binoculars and my real camera, and I didn't want to take a whole backpack.

The observatory is basically just a deck like you'd see on the back of a house, but with bears. It hovers over the river where the bears are fishing, and there is a duck blind that goes down to stream level that was really neat.

Immediately, I see a bear:

This bear is about 10 feet from me, but we are separated by the fence surrounding the deck. A lot of people asked if I was scared being that close to a bear, and I always replied, "No, because I am not a salmon." And I can tell you, that is all the bears cared about.

This is my favorite solo bear picture that I took.

And my favorite of the mum and her two cubs.

I also took a lot of the bears mostly trying (and not succeeding) to catch salmon. But here's a video of a successful bear!

This was also the best place I saw eagles. I mean, I literally saw bald eagles at every stop. They're to Alaska what Canada Geese are to Colorado. But they were particularly happy here, and this was the only place I could take pix of them sitting around instead of flying away from me.

I was really excited to get this picture of a juvenile bald eagle. I feel like we see a decent number of adult bald eagles here in Colorado, but I've never seen a juvie this close. This young one was just gorgeous, and I was happy to get him with a bear.

No, I 100% did not take this picture. One of my shipmates AirDropped it to me, and I wanted you to see how beautiful they were when taken by someone with a nice, long lens on her camera.

Join me on the next post when we see whales!

Alaska, Part 2: Ketchikan, Misty Fjords and Wrangell (July 11–13)

Welcome to Ketchikan!

Ketchikan is known for its deep roots in the Native Tlingit culture and is filled with totem poles. We visited the Saxman Native Village and were able to watch as they were creating these beautiful works of art, and our guide talked about all the symbolism in the totem poles—it was fascinating! Here are a few of the totem poles I saw around Ketchikan:

... and a lady

Ketchikan is only slightly less known for its yarn store:

The next day, we traveled to Misty Fjords National Monument. Normally, the scenery is ... well ... misty. Lots of fog in and around the trees, giving the area an otherworldly feel. Not for us, though. It was warm and sunny the day we visited, so we got this sparkly view instead:

This was my first seal sighting on the trip as well:

The seals were a long way away, and even though I used my actual camera with its zoom lens, I didn't really get great pictures. Still, I was just happy I saw them!

The next day we went to Wrangell, where I saw ANOTHER totem pole:

And also this moose made out of moose antlers:

But the coolest thing about Wrangell are the garnets. Wrangell has a garnet deposit that was once owned by a mining company. Eventually the deposit was willed to the young people of the town. To this day, only the children of Wrangell have free use of the site. They go with their families to look for garnets in the rocks and streams, and then they sell the stones to visitors at the ferry terminal, at the city's cruise ship dock, and in the city museum and gift stores. As I walked through town, I noticed that shards of garnet are embedded in the sidewalks!

Here's a close-up!

Later in the morning, I left for my most anticipated excursion: the Anan Wildlife Observatory! I took so many pictures that afternoon that it requires an entire blog post of its own. See you there!

Alaska, Part 1: Vancouver and Cruising Through the Inside Passage (July 7–10)

For the minute few who do not know, I went to Alaska this summer. I chronicled the why and how over on The Widow's Peek, along with all the sad things about the trip (first real vacation without Vic, lots of stuff I think he would have loved, all the indignities of traveling alone, etc.). This is not that. This is a celebration of my trip to Alaska. I've been planning on writing these posts since August, but my 1 million five-minute chores always took precedence. Now I have Christmas cards filled with pictures of Alaska (and Bella, of course), and I wrote on the back that if you wanted to know more, you could go to my blog. So now I gotta get a move on!

For those who don't want to click over, the long and short of it is that I've wanted to go to Alaska since I was 12, and Vic didn't. I had a little extra money squirreled away, so I decided to go. My friend Mary booked us on an expedition cruise and a train from Anchorage to Fairbanks with her friend (now my friend also) Sue, and then I drove down to Denali National Park and Preserve.

A three-week trip isn't a friendly story for a single blog post, so I broke it down into six parts. (I know, I know, that isn't friendly either, but at least this way, you could read one blog post every time you go to the bathroom or are waiting in line at the DMV. Oh, who are we kidding? You can read all six parts and the latest Avatar movie while waiting in line at the DMV.)

So let's get started! As soon as I found out the trip started in Vancouver, I contacted my friend Jeff. He moved there quite a number of years ago, and I haven't seen him in a really long time. But this is one of those friendships that just picks up right where it left off, and he enthusiastically said, "YES! Let's get together!"

This is me and Jeff at his home. Check out that gorgeous view in the background!

Jeff's husband, Pierre, picked me up at the hotel while Jeff made dinner. Instead of taking me right to their home, Pierre took me on a tour of the city, including its crown jewel, Stanley Park. We had so much fun driving through town, and you'd never have known that we only just met that day! The three of us talked and laughed all through a yummy dinner of roast chicken and potatoes that Jeff said was super easy to make and then talked me through the 47-step process of making it, which was when I realized I was never going to have that meal again unless I came back to Vancouver. The next thing I knew, it was late, and the guys drove me back to the hotel. It was a phenomenal start to my trip.

Pierre, Jeff and me

The cruise didn't leave until 4 p.m. the next day, so I took the opportunity to see some of the sights of Vancouver. Oh, who are we kidding? I went to the yarn store. Stores, plural, actually. I got some fantastic Canadian-dyed yarn (at killer prices) as well as some European yarns that I don't see in my local yarn shop. Because I am afraid of Uber and Lyft (I don't even have the apps on my phone), and because I am a cheapskate, and because Verizon said my phone would work in Canada but it didn't so I probably couldn't have contacted Uber or Lyft anyway, I took the bus! It was really pretty fun! I got a selfie at the first shop, but I totally forgot at the second. (I said this wasn't gonna be the sad post, but come on. I gotta remember to take pictures of myself? What a kick in the teeth!)

When I got back to the hotel, I found this dreamboat waiting in the harbor:

What, you can't see the logo? Fine:

It's the Love Boat, people! The actual Pacific Princess like the one on the show! What, you don't remember that episode of The Love Boat where Mark Harmon and Lisa Hartman were going to get married but there was a problem and hilarity ensued? Well, I do—it's part of the reason I wanted to go to Alaska!

So it was pretty exciting to see the ship.

Of course, that wasn't my ship. This is my ship:

And just to give you some context, this is a picture of my ship next to one of the larger cruise ships (what I like to call floating apartment complexes):

Still, mine was a really nice ship. These are pictures of our room and our veranda:

We weren't too far above the water, and this would come in really handy on the day we cruised through a pod of humpback whales. You'll see that in a later post.

This part of the cruise was fairly uneventful. We got accustomed to the ship, started meeting the crew and other passengers, got a tour of the bridge. And this is the only part of the trip where I saw an orca. And by "orca," I mean a tiny hump and a little bit of a fin. Still, I SAW ONE! Our ship's photographer, Jeremy, saw a lot more of this whale as well as orcas on several other days, but this was the only one I saw:

Vic used to say if he saw even the tip of an ear of some animal, it was a successful day. So I count this as a success. Next stop, Ketchikan!

The One Where My Heart Broke

That’s what the episode of Friends would be called if it were about my grief upon hearing the news of Matthew Perry’s sudden death.

It would be easy to single out his performance on Friends, hilarious as it was.

• “Oh, please, could she be more out of my league?” (This one was hard to narrow down.)
• The sound he made when he “cracked the whip” wa-pah!
• “Gum would be perfection.
• Side note: The way he tells Joey, “I’m stuck. In an ATM vestibule. With Jill Goodacre,” kind of like a ventriloquist—teeth together, lips barely parted—Vic and I talked that way for the rest of his life whenever we wanted to be funny. We were never as funny as Matthew, but still.
• Janice. If anyone could steal the thunder from Matthew Perry’s Chandler, it was Maggie Wheeler’s Janice. But his reactions to her were priceless—as much a part of Chandler Bing lore as any of his own lines. I said to my nephew and my sister and my friend last night, “What if he’s actually in Yemen because he wants to get away from Janice??” If only that could be true.
• “The fifth dentist caved and now they’re all recommending Trident?”
• This is another one that stuck with us forever. Whenever one of us would ask the other, “Guess what?” the other would answer with this line of Chandler’s.

In hearing about his life last year when he was promoting his memoir, it sounded like his real life mirrored Chandler’s in many ways. It’s probably what made his performance so grounded and why so many of his one-liners hit so close to home for those who also use humor to deflect pain or to mask underlying fear. Vic always used humor when he was in the hospital or at the doctor’s office.

But Matthew Perry was more than Chandler Bing.

His first movie after gaining Friends fame was Fools Rush In. Yes, he played a very Chandler Bing-esque character, but that didn’t matter. He was wonderful. I defy you not to cry when Alex (Matthew Perry) says to Isabel (Salma Hayak), “You’re everything I never knew I always wanted.” (Although I’ll admit our favorite line was said by Alex’s friend/business partner Jeff [Jon Tenney], who said about Las Vegas: “Why didn’t they just build this place on the surface of the f***ing sun?” Whenever we were hot after that, we said that. I continue to say it to this very day.

Another favorite of ours: The Whole Nine Yards. Height of Friends fame for Matthew Perry, but Bruce Willis hasn’t done a comedy since Moonlighting. This team was a winner. Chandler Bing and John McClane. Add in a relatively unknown Amanda Peet and you have the makings of comedy gold. It was just a fun movie, with Bruce Willis poking fun at his action hero persona.

But there were also some stinkers in there, and I wonder whether that is why he returned to the small screen—and in dramatic roles. Look at his Joe Quincy on The West Wing, a role he was nominated for an Emmy for—twice. And he was only on the show for three episodes! Thank goodness he met Aaron Sorkin, because Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a brilliant Sorkin show that starred Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and a whole bunch of top talent (including the by-now very popular Amanda Peet). No, it didn’t catch on, but we loved it and were gutted when it was canceled after only one season. But again, this showed us our Matthew as a dramatic actor. It was something he was exceedingly good at.

Unfortunately, Matthew never caught fire again, and that’s sad because he was always amazing in everything he did. He elevated not-so-great material, and he made great material really shine.

Mr. Sunshine was one of the former. It was a slapstick comedy with the great Allison Janney (his West Wing costar) and Andrea Anders (who was recently so heartbreaking in Ted Lasso). Maybe the time for slapstick was over, but I would have watched it forever.

Another fabulous guest spot he did was as Mike Kresteva on The Good Wife (a role he reprised on The Good Fight). It was just so fun to see his face pop up on various shows (such as Cougar Town and Web Therapy, series with his former Friends Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow, respectively). And he did find a measure of success with a revival of The Odd Couple that I was hoping would turn his fortunes around. Alas, it didn’t, and then his health troubles started and he disappeared from screens altogether.

But the one post-Friends role that I am really drawn to—then (2012–2013, when it first aired and Vic and I watched it together) and now (for reasons that will soon be clear)—was Go On. Go On, like Studio 60, lasted only one season, and again we were disappointed when it was canceled. Matthew Perry plays a sports radio host whose wife has recently passed away. The cast is impeccable: Laura Benanti, Julie White, Suzy Nakamura, Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker, Tyler James Williams, Allison Miller, Bill Cobbs, Piper Perabo, John Cho—every single one of these actors is still working today. It was the second thing I thought of when I heard Matthew had passed away, and I immediately started watching it (it’s on the Roku channel).

I urge you to Google any one of these shows (or all of them, or go to YouTube and search “best of matthew perry”—you’ll lose an entire day, like I did, but it’ll be worth it).

During his book tour last year, Matthew said, “I’d like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker.” And his paramount thing is that he just wanted to help people.

Well, Matthew Perry, you helped people. You made us laugh. You made us cry. And then you made us laugh again. Rest in peace, Ms. Chanandler Bong.

”

I honestly loved her

In the 1970s, I had a record player that looked exactly like this. Same color, even.

I spent a lot of time with that record player spinning anything by any Osmonds (Little Jimmy Osmond was my favorite at the time, but I often "borrowed" my sister's Donny Osmond albums), Barry Manilow, and the Partridge Family (David Cassidy, swoon).

But on this record player, I listened to two albums more than any others: Let Me Be There and If You Love Me, Let Me Know, both by the incomparable Olivia Newton-John, who passed away Monday at the age of 73.

I've heard that the music we listen to in childhood and adolescence stays with us more than any other music, and Olivia's music still speaks to me every time I hear it. Her soothing voice, the lyrics that speak to any young, hopeless romantic. I listened to her songs so many times that I can still sing most of them by heart—and frequently do.

Olivia was always with me. One of my favorite memories from my adolescence was spending a night with my girlfriends, just roaming around the countryside. One of our topics of conversation was Xanadu, which had just been released. Even 42 years later, I can still hear the voice of one of my friends as she said the name "Xanadu."

But perhaps nothing Olivia did means more to me than the movie Grease. Released the summer of 1978, Grease came out at a time of great upheaval in my life. My parents were getting a divorce—and not the "conscious uncoupling" of today, but a bitter, angry 1970s divorce. My beloved sister, meanwhile, was leaving for college. What was I supposed to do without her? And I had no idea whether Charo would be on the next season of The Love Boat. I was 14 years old. Everything was traumatic.

Then, Olivia stepped in with her red, spike-heel Candies. 

The movie poster alone hooked me!

Grease was released just before my birthday. Maybe to take away the sting of her leaving, Laura took me to see it. And, oh! Was it ever glorious! ONJ! John "I am not Vinnie Barbarino" Travolta! My first introduction to the fabulous Stockard Channing (and one of my all-time favorite movie lines: "I feel like a defective typewriter. I missed a period.")! The charismatic Jeff Conaway! The sing-along songs (give me a Grease song at karaoke and I will give you a performance)! The hot dog jumping into the bun on the drive-in screen while John Travolta croons, "Why-yi-yi-yi? Oh, Sandy." (Skip to 2:20 if you don't have two and a half minutes to spare.) The "Born to Hand Jive" dance (which I can still do, natch)! Which brings us back to those Candies! Everyone talks about the tight leather pants, but I was a sucker for the shoes.

I had never seen a better movie in all my days—and I saw Lifeguard in 1976! 🤣 (P.S. With my sister, at the drive-in, a double feature with Orca.)

So we went again the next week.

And the week after that.

Seven or eight or nine times that summer, I went to Grease. It was my Star Wars. Sometimes I went with my sister alone, sometimes with my sister and others, sometimes with my friends. At least once, I am sure Laura and I saw it at ... the drive-in.

For 1 hour and 50 minutes, I could forget about the world around me. And whenever I felt blue, I could sing and dance to "Greased Lightnin'" (because, yes, I bought the double album, which set me back a pretty penny, and played it on that durable record player over and over and over).

But I digress.

My point is that Olivia Newton-John got me through a rough time and brought me closer to my sister. In fact, just the other day, we reminisced about that summer. (And also that previous Lifeguard summer—Sam Elliott (her), Parker Stevenson (me), California, sigh. Beyond the comprehension of two girls from Nebraska.) The highs, the lows and the joy of "Summer Nights."

So thank you, ONJ. You gave me the soundtrack of my teenage years and a lifelong bond with my sister. I am "Hopelessly Devoted to You." "If Not for You," my world wouldn't be quite so "Mellow." "You're the One That I Want" to listen to, and your voice was always "Magic." Your "Physical" presence is gone now, but you left "A Little More Love" in the world. "Fly Away," beautiful soul.

Ginger DeMoulin — a life well-lived

Ginger and Bill DeMoulin

Virginia "Ginger" Bonney DeMoulin passed away the morning of December 3, 2021.

I don't remember when I met Ginger. She was my sister's mother-in-law, so probably sometime around her wedding in 1986. But I do remember many days since then, because Ginger and Bill, her devoted, adoring husband, attended all of my nephew's and niece's birthday parties, numerous Thanksgivings and Christmases, and countless other special events.

Ginger was always in the middle of these events. As an "extroverted introvert" married to an "introverted introvert," I tended to stay on the fringe, so I admired her easy way with people. She always seemed to be smiling or laughing and was a sheer delight to be around. She was interested in people's lives and always asked questions about what you were doing.

Stunningly beautiful and elegant beyond words, Ginger was happiest with Bill. He was the love of her life. With him, she traveled the world and lived life to its fullest.

Family was her pride and joy. After Bill passed away in 2009, she could have retreated into herself. But still, there she was at those parties, remaining in the center of everything, giving all her love to her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, in-laws—even her in-laws' families. I was honored to consider her part of my family, and I mourn her loss as if she were my own mother.

I was fortunate to receive three of her original watercolor paintings as well as two pillows that she needlepointed herself—and whenever I pass by them in my house, I will think of her, with deep affection and respect.

Rest in peace, dear Ginger. Give my love to the Judge.

 

When Bill announced that Nick had been born

First grandchild

Some family pictures—note that Ginger is always in the middle of things.

First great grandchild