its the new year here in alaska and we all know what that means....the days are getting lighter! my life in anchorage the past few months has been filled with ups and downs, lots of snow, dipping temperatures, an almost lost doggie, a great visit back east, and recently lots of time spent under blankets on the couch as our house remained steady at 58 degrees for two weeks. then the temps rose to almost tropical levels and there was mass flooding and ice issues and wind. the apocalypse is near! its leveled out recently and hopefully snow will continue to grace us with its presence for the next few months. the pics and stories pages will finally be updated by the time our fine new president settles into his job, perhaps. and though we say goodbye to my beloved eagles for the season (and perhaps donovan mcnabb altogether), march madness is just around the corner...with lots more snow sports in between! happy wandering
------------
welcome to palin country
september 2008
what on earth have I gotten myself into....?? aside from some obstacles, the journey north and west was a pleasant one and I am finally here in alaska and an official resident--plates, driver's license and all! for more details, check out the news and stories sections, but I'm temporarily living in a lovely menagerie of people (3) and pets (4) and all is good. it appears that anchorage is a little haven of fairly liberal people, perhaps because most people are from somewhere else, but the state overall is definitely pretty conservative. ideally, I will find a job and an apartment soon, and very soon after that a democrat will be elected president. all would be well in the world. here's hoping! happy wandering
------------
heading off in the opposite direction
august 2008
after an unbelievably amazing and fabulous trip to the far reaches of the south-down under in australia and new zealand-, its time to check out the other end of the earth--ALASKA! my "1 month" in allentown to search for a car turned into 2.5, but I am finally off. it was nice to spend some time with my dad and do some things around the house, but I know he's quite happy to have the place to himself again! with my subaru outback packed, I'm headed on a 3-week driving adventure up to anchorage before settling in and trying to find this thing people refer to as a "job". hope you'll follow along with me. happy wandering
------------
all good things must end...so new ones can begin
may 2008
I'm back in the states. crazy, eh? more soon. happy wandering
------------
back to the land of oz
april 2008
sometimes its surreal how this trip can just continue to be so amazing. 6 weeks in new zealand proved to be ridiculous, looking back I can't believe how much I packed into my time there, the amount of incredible people I met, and the landscapes I saw....oh, the landscapes...! difficult to describe how much I loved it all. now I'm back to fabulous australia for my last leg, 7 weeks of traversing the country. I'm heading to *very hot* places in the north and the west so I hope to swim lots and avoid crocodiles. happy wandering
------------
off to kiwi country
february-march 2008
nearly 5 weeks in aussie land, its time to head east to the other major country in these parts, new zealand. I've seen a fair bit of australia in my short time here but now realize that 12 weeks to see the whole country is extremely short. the sydney, melbourne, great ocean road, kangaroo island and adelaide areas have been good to me though and I'm quite smitten with the land down under. I'll be back after my 6 weeks in new zealand, 3 on each island, if I don't fall even more in love with that little country....no promises! stay tuned, happy wandering
------------
phase 2
january 2008
happy new year! phase 1, the road trip around the u.s., has been completed and I'm on to part deux. phase 1.5 included thanksgiving, the 2nd annual celebrate joan 4k-ish walk, a surprise party for my dad's 60th birthday, christmas, trips to nyc and atlanta, and some time organizing things in allentown. on january 22nd, I head to australia and new zealand to embark on this next phase, incredibly for 18 weeks, sadly without alyeska. more stories, pics and maps will be posted as I work my way around these two countries, so hopefully you'll come along for the ride. happy wandering
------------
greetings and salutations
september 2007
welcome and thanks for checking out my site. after almost 4 years, I've given up life in the big apple to take on a new quest around the states, and then perhaps around the globe. this site will keep you up to date on my adventures and misadventures with my trusty dog alyeska as we take on whatever comes our way. happy wandering
