Back in Alaska

It's been a few weeks since I posted last. I had to fly back to NC two days after my last post to be with my mom. Luckily, after a few harried days, she was on the road to recovery!

It was definitely a sobering experience being 4,000+ miles away, at the mercy of the weather and the airlines. I was supposed to leave on Monday the 4th, but due to weather holding back flights, I couldn't get a re-confirmed seat until the next Saturday. Because of her condition, the hosiptal faxed information that enabled me to get priority standby on Wednesday. Twenty three emotionally and physically exhausting hours later, I arrived in Asheville. She's back home now after 8 days in ICU, 3 days in a neurological step down unit, and 2 weeks at the rehabilitation hospital, and she sounds better than she ever has on the phone :). She unfortunately broke her ankle when she initially got sick, so she's still on the mend from that.

I have been up to my elbows in work since getting back a week ago, but I still managed to do some baking. I brought back a full flat of strawberries with me (you can't imagine all the weird looks I was getting at TSA hehe). Strawberry shortcake, strawberry trifle, strawberries and cream, all of them made an appearance, only to be immediately consumed by one happy husband and a dog that liked the cakes and cream more than the strawberries! Alas, no photos were taken, so all I have of our brief interlude with strawberries in Alaska are the memories! Maybe next year!