Detours off Britta Blvd

My grandmother & I had a fantastic time on our cruise from Seattle to Alaska last year, but when I got home I walked in the door to my freshly-printed proof copy of Eerie Elegance, so I never got the chance to blog the trip...bad Britta! However I did work hard on this Shutterfly photobook for Grandma for Christmas, and she loves having it & showing it to people. I admit I also showed my copy to anyone who would sit still long enough! Since Shutterfly has more advanced sharing options now, you'll probably have to click the "view larger" link to read the captions, but here's my trip to Alaska...Enjoy!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Current Location: Brittahytta

Tomorrow my grandma & I sail from Seattle to Alaska on the Celebrity Infinity! I fly to Seattle today, I am NOT bringing a computer, and my Treo service will be spotty I'm sure, so unless I break down & pay for some internet cafe time, I won't be posting until I get back next Friday evening. I am really looking forward to this, not only to get away from everyday drudgery and spend quality time with my fun grandma, but the beautiful scenery and fun excursions!

Here's the itinerary, with more details if you click...

Celebrity Infinity
Pier 66 Bell Street Terminal, Seattle

Fri, Aug 29, 2008
Seattle, Washington
Depart: 04:00 PM

Sat, Aug 30, 2008
At Sea

Sun, Aug 31, 2008
Sitka, Alaska
Arrive: 10:00 AM
Depart: 06:00 PM
( 02:00 PM Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest  )

Mon, Sep 01, 2008
Hubbard Glacier (Cruising)
Arrive: 12:00 PM
Depart: 04:00 PM

Tue, Sep 02, 2008
Juneau, Alaska
Arrive: 07:00 AM
Depart: 03:00 PM
( 12:30 PM Sled Dog Discovery & Musher's Camp  )

Wed, Sep 03, 2008
Ketchikan, Alaska
Arrive: 07:00 AM
Depart: 01:00 PM
( 10:00 AM Alaska Queen Paddle Wheel Cruise )

Thu, Sep 04, 2008
Victoria, British Columbia
Arrive: 07:00 PM
Depart: 11:59 PM
Victoria, British Columbia
( 07:45 PM Vintage Cidery & Farm )

Fri, Sep 05, 2008
Seattle, Washington
Arrive: 06:00 AM
disembark by 10am or so
I fly home 5pm-7pm

Updates when I get back! Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Current Location: Brittahytta
Current Mood: excited

Trying to catch up starting back in mid-July...whew!

( The Police, take 2 )




( Chris Isaak )


( Alaska cruise coming soon... )


( Birthday Cinema Brittahytta )


Birthday Cinema Brittahytta


( new dining table )


New Dining Table


( more house projects )


Movie Screen Grape Trellis and Custom Window Box - thanks, Dad!


( garden harvest )




Saw The Wrath of Khan at midnight movies on Saturday...wow, the print was absolutely atrocious, with red starfields instead of black, awful pops & scratches, and even off track a couple times so that the line was in the middle with heads at the bottom...but the saving grace was the opening trivia contest where I won a poster for the new Trek movie coming out in May! Woohoo! Just too bad it's the Kirk poster, not Spock... ;)


Next up is Yosemite, leaving Thursday, hopefully hiking to the Halfdome summit on Friday with mrmouse, recovering with local hikes on Saturday, then coming home Sunday. I barely got the single campsite in March with the most stressful Saturday morning at 7am I've had in a long time! I tried this trip 2 years ago, getting an even better campsite in North Pines on the valley floor then, but an old friend scheduled his wedding the same exact weekend and I couldn't get another campsite date, so I had to pay the cancellation fee last time. hp_jenorama and her husband are also coming but won't be tackling the 12-hour Halfdome hike past two waterfalls and including cables along the rock towards the summit. This will be my first serious hiking since Scotland in 2005, and I haven't even been tent-camping since Scotland 1997, so I have been so looking forward to it! Even if the wildfires make the view hazy, that's no different than our view at the summit of Ben Nevis in 2005. ;) Wish us luck!

Current Location: at work

My grandmother and I will be cruising the Alaskan coastline in one month! Aug 29th-Sept 5th on the Celebrity Infinity sailing from Seattle, supposedly a very nice ship from at least two personal accounts. She's gone several times before and said to me "September is no problem...it's beautiful weather" to which I replied, "Grandma, I remember you said 'I've cruised the Caribbean in October plenty of times and hurricanes are no problem'...and the last cruise I took with you we ended up in Hurricane Roxanne!" haha...

At any rate, as of earlier today the cruise is now booked with an ocean view stateroom with excursions at each port, including a sled dog ride with time for husky puppy cuddling (how cute is that?!?), and a cider brewery & farm on Vancouver Island, among other cool things. I haven't been that impressed with the cruises I've been on before, but the Alaska cruises have sounded different, more for the gorgeous scenery, glaciers & wildlife than the sunbathing & partying of other cruising, especially since my grandma is turning 94 in November, and even though she's still doing very well, I'm not sure how many more years I will have to travel with her. For those of you who might be saying "traveling with grandma?!?" let me describe to you how she was dancing for her 90th birthday to "Five Foot Two" with her full glass of scotch on the rocks in hand, nary spilling a drop. That's MY grandma! :)

Current Location: Brittahytta