So about yesterday. I had posted a cute little yellow post it note to the effect that I had left the building and was taking a day off of the internet, because it was important to my sanity, right?

What I meant to say what that the internet is important to my sanity and I have a hard time taking a day off of it. “Happily married mother of three seeks to restore balance in her day – please send chocolate chip cookies.” That made no sense to you, I’m sure…but in my mind? Totally.

My eldest daughter arrived back from Church camp around 2:30 pm yesterday…I missed having her around this week for conversation. Funny how you don’t realize how much you depend on/rely on/enjoy/appreciate/love someone until they aren’t around for you to boss around talk to every day. The thing I love about my girl? She’s not at the age where she doesn’t like to share her everday happenings with mom. Hopefully she never realizes that day, and we continue happily on as we are, even into the teen years, but I remember how it was with my mom.

A typical conversation would go something like:

Mom: “Where are you going?”
Me: “Out.”
Mom: “Out, where?”
Me: “Just out.”
Mom: “Well, who are you going with?”
Me: “Friends.”
Mom: “Which friends?”
Me: “Just some friends, okay mom? Sheesh…do you have to know every single little thing that goes on in my life?” (said with much eye rolling)
Mom: “Well, no…not every little thing. But I would like to know that you’re safe.”
Me: “Dina and Kara, okay? Satisfied?”
Mom: “Yes. So where are you girls going?”
Me: “Out.”

I grew up in a very small fishing town that is fairly well known if you’re from Alaska. Homer is known as the “halibut fishing capital of the world”. See the sign? I kid you not.

There wasn’t much to do in the winter if you were a kid, but you could get into all kinds of trouble in the summer. I still remember my mom (who had lived her life in Texas) telling me to be home before dark. That’s only funny if you’ve been to Alaska, I guess.

My favorite hangout in the summer was “the spit”. Sounds gross, but in all actuality, it was so. much. fun. The Homer Spit is a 5 mile long peninsula that juts out into the Kachemak (prounounced “catch’-a-mack”) Bay, but it is sooo much more than that.
It’s where we would go to meet the cute boys that were staying in tents on the Spit for the summer and working at the canneries. (We called them “spitrats”- which contrary to what you may believe, was not meant in a derogatory way.) We were naive and innocent in those days and we loved to sit around their campfires for hours talking and flirting with them. There were a couple that we even made really good friends with and kept in touch with for a few years – Matt and Pat. They were best friends like us and they were so fun to hang out with. My mom absolutely adored them when she met them, and I think it helped put her mind at ease about what we were doing. I guess she thought we were hanging out here:
Which really looks harmless from the outside. In fact, it’s one of Homer’s better-known landmarks (besides the eagle-lady’s house) and pretty much everyone that visits Homer has to go to the Salty Dawg. It’s a requirement, you know. And when you go, another requirement is that you have to leave something of yourself behind…like a dollar, or a business card…possibly some underwears…you know, whatever.

I have thought of so many stories to share with you about the Homer Spit and over the next few weeks, I’ll do just that. Maybe some day, I’ll even get the chance to go back and visit…

But where was I going with all that? Oh yes. My daughter. She had a good time. Even made some life-changing decisions. Came home with a tan and full of wonderful stories to share about her time there. Can’t wait to share some of them with you this next week!

*June’s giveaway will be announced later tonight – be on the lookout for it!*

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