Birthday Fun! (28 and Look'n for a Mate!)

Friday was my big 28th birthday - I am now, as I tell my passengers - "28 and look'n for a MATE!" I had a wonderful birthday here in Alaska - my parents got to ride the train with me and I was able to be their tour guide for most of their train ride to Denali. Bless my mom's heart she made two different cars of passengers sing Happy Birthday to me. Ick! She said it would help with tips - it possibly did???

I got off work Thursday night, headed home and went to bed around midnight. I then woke up at 3:00 am to leave with the Wilson's to drive down to Seward to go fishing. We have had this trip planned for several months. Luckily why my family was here they were able to go fishing with us. Poor Jessie, the sea is not for her - she spent most of her time bent over the boat pucking. I was busy fishing and wasn't able to get any photos. Anyhow, our trip started at 6:00 am and took us about 2 1/2 hours to drive out to sea to a perfect fishing spot. I slept so good on the boat with all the rocking!!! We ended up being at sea for 12 hours!!!

We found our spot and began our fishing. It was so nice because the sun was actually out and shinning. I even got sunburned. I caught my first halibut, but then threw it back because I knew I could get a bigger one. On my second catch it was big enough to keep, (30lbs) at least big enough for me! My second catch was a silver salmon - pretty proud of that one! Then the rest of the day I continued to try to catch my trophy halibut. Sad to say it didn't happen! Finally twenty minutes before we left I was still throwing fish back. The captain said if I didn't keep the next one I would only walk away with one halibut. (Our limit is two a person.) The next one I caught and kept, it was a record setting size of about 15lbs. Worth the wait if you ask me???

After fishing we went to a fish and chip dive and ate dinner. I then had to head back to Anchorage because I had to be to work at 4:45 am Saturday morning (arriving home at midnight...so sleep deprived?). My family stayed in Seward at a Bed and Breakfast then went on a wild life cruise the next day. Not me - I am a gluten for punishment and wanted to work. Work was grand though - I got to work and was setting up our car when Noel surprised me with a piece of Peanut Butter Pie from my favorite restaurant here in Anchorage. He was so sweet!!! He said he didn't know what to get me, I said the pie was perfect!!! The perfect ending to a great Birthday. Thanks everyone for the texts, phone messages, and emails - you're the best!!!

Our party (Tara, Jerri, Robert, Me, Jessie, Flint, Dad, and Jes) with all our catchings. My family took home about 90lbs of fish - they better save me some or I will be livid!!! Me and my best catch of the day - not a man, but a pretty good size silver salmon!!!Flint with one of his catches that he had to throw back - an ugly fish. It's a scape?

Poor Jessie - she did catch her two halibut, but this was the fun she had most of the day...