Now that’s a true Alaskan

Some buffalo were right by the road today.  We parked on one side of the road and the buffalo were on the other side.  Bec stayed with the car and was a few feet away looking up the hill, away from the buffalo.  I was on the side of the road with the buffalo getting some pictures.  I was not too close but one of them started to walk closer. 

I hear Hol call out a warning, but does she call for me, no…she says “Bec, get in the car!”.  Bec runs for the car, no questions asked.  That’s the survival instinct of living in Alaska.

I bet Tom wishes that command would work at the mall.

I gotta wonder, why Holly left me hangin’.  Maybe I hit the wrong sister with my car.

Lisa

I swear it was a buffalo.

Ok, I have made fun of all my siblings which I say is my right as the administrator.  But they told mom and dad that I am not being fair, so I must tell on myself.  

I hit Bec. 

I wish I could say it was with a wet noodle.  But, alas, it was my car.  I did not see her behind me and I was rolling backwards slowly to position the car better on the side of the road.  I didn’t knock her down, thank goodness, or she says I would have run over her.  I tried to convince her it was a buffalo that snuck up on her, she has always been the most gullible of all of us (that means short, right Bec?).  But with dad pointing out that I ran into her it was a hard sell.  

Needless to say, I did all I could to make it up to her yesterday by offering to hit Steve and Holly as well to make it even.  I guess I could have offered to let her run into me with my car but that’s just crazy talk. 

She was sore yesterday, but fine today she says, thank goodness. I guess it would not be a true family vacation without at least one injury.

Lisa

“States” Of Panic.

While playing the license plate game, Steve’s timing of when to yell out states is when Holly is backing out of parking lots.  So here she is driving a car she is not familiar with (mine by the way) and Steve keeps pointing and yelling which would make Holly panic and stop in mid backing up.  We never knew that “Illinois” could sound so much like “there’s a boy”.

Steve yells out license plates louder than he talks when in conversations.  Not sure if it is his competitive spirit, or just to see how many times he can startle Holly.  Maybe a bit of both.

Lisa

Yellowstone After Dark

Yesterday, 9/25, we were in the park a long time.  Holly was very worried we would not get out of the park before dark.  Holly convinced herself our car would be ambushed by the animals and we would be overtaken and killed.  She had so many details about how it would happen that she convinced herself we were doomed if we stayed in the park after dark. We did not make it, out of the park before dark that is.  Of course, she insists now in the light of day she was just joking.

Sometimes I am surprised that I could be so very different from my sister…I never think of the worst that could happen, I am always so very positive (cough) and I never ever think that someone or something is out to get me.  

(I don’t want to hear it from the peanut gallery, and peanut gallery you know who you are.)

Lisa

Saturday in the park…

What a great day. Went to old faithful and stopped a few times along the way to see a coyote pounce on his breakfast, some buffalo rolling in dirt and one taking a dip in the river. Got to old faithful just in time to eat lunch then watch the show.

Mom and dad headed back to the condo from there, after a stroll around. On the way back a buffalo decided to take a walk next to their car. Mom said she could have rolled down her window and touched him.

Us kids went to finds some elk at West Thumb. And boy did we. We could hear the bugles, but at first couldn’t see them. We then saw a lone female, and some of us saw a couple of males. But it turns out we drove right past the best part when we parked. A HUGE male with around 6 females. Some people walked way to close to him, and got in between him and some of his harem. He did not like that. I thought for a moment we were going to witness a scene from “When animals attack” or “The Darwin Awards”. What was the scariest was the people had a baby. What in the world were they thinking. Luckily, all was well.  (if you can see the man standing behind the elk, that is not dad).

Also saw more buffalo and elk on the way back.  And a cute little porcupine.