Sweet Home Alabama

Ironically, I'm listening to Pandora right now and Sweet Home Alabama by Skynyrd just happens to be on. Very appropriate for my post.  Two weeks ago I went home for a visit and some R & R.  I've been so overwhelmed lately with a new position at work, a big move into the house, etc etc.  I'm sure you all feel just like me --- life can get so hectic.

I left SEA at 6:00 am on a cool Wednesday morning and had a layover in Dallas that was *supposed* to be an hour or so.  Well, thunderstorms moved into DFW and sat there, as a result, so did I.  I did get to move around some while at the airport, like board and un-board the plane...twice.  Seriously... come on Dallas!  I managed to get on the last flight out that night and rolled into Mobile at approximately 2 am.

As I walked out of the MOB airport to meet Mom, a warm and comforting air engulfed me and my stress began to melt.  (Most of you would call this air 'humidity' but I've decided to dub it the 'stress-reducer'... seems to work for both Dad and me).  After a good night's sleep in my room at the Fish River abode, I woke up rested and ready to basically do nothing :)

We met Dad in Pensacola, FL for an overnight trip to the beach.  It was really beautiful and I got in one day of laying out in the sun.

After our stint at the beach, we headed back home and that's when it started storming.  I don't mean 'raining'... I mean good ole' thunderstorms.  And they didn't stop until I left except for a quick hour break one day.  Oh well, the point was to visit my family and friends, but a little tan would have been nice, too.  Jessica and Vivi came to spend one night with us.  She's so cute and growing... mainly because she eats anything in sight, and anything a carnivorous adult would, even though she has no teeth (or didn't last week... she has gotten her first tooth since then).

She really enjoyed the 7-layer dip Aunt Meme made!

Of course she loved and needed a bath!

I think she liked the wrapping more than the present.

We got a quick break from the rain and
went out on the wave runner.

Mo examining Dad's bounty from the cast net.

Mo doesn't like thunderstorms so I swaddled him :)

The river rose but didn't flood the house.

At lunch in Fairhope.

'I love my Aunt Meme!'

Will You Rescue Me?

From a crevasse, that is (if your name is 'Will' the answer better be 'yes').  And now, with the help of a crevasse rescue training course you can, too!

I'm very behind on my blogging mainly because we've been so busy moving (photos to come sometime soon...nothing is set up yet like I want it so you'll just have to wait).  I digress... So, a few weeks ago we went down to Rainier to take a crevasse rescue course in order to help us learn skills needed for when we summit Rainier this fall (I have mentioned that before, haven't I?).  

We went down on a Saturday afternoon and had dinner in the park at Inn at Longmire, which was lovely.  Then retired to our little room at the Whittaker Bunkhouse.  It was super cute and very mountain-ey looking.  We retired early to our single beds :) to get a good night's sleep since we had to be at class at 7 am.  

Whittaker Bunkhouse

Inn at Longmire

Early the next morning we met up with our guides and went over tying specific knots and the basics of crevasse rescue.  Then we got on a van with all our gear and went up to Paradise (~6,500 ft) to practice. It was really cold when we were just standing around because it was slightly windy, but once we got warmed up it was a lot of fun and we each got lowered over the edge (not actually in a crevasse like I thought) and the team had to set up the system to pull us up.

Me with all my crevasse gear on.

Katie, our guide teaching us how to set up the
pulley system after building snow anchors.

Shot looking up over the edge while I was hanging.

Self-portrait from hanging over the edge, waiting to be pulled up.

Will dangling over the edge. 

We learned all the intricacies of setting up pulley systems, building snow anchors, self-arresting with an ice-axe, z-pulleys, c-pulleys, clove hitches, prussic knots, etc.  Bottom line, it's very difficult to perform a crevasse rescue and you have to remember a ton of stuff.  Climb smart, climb with a guide, and don't take any chances.