Surprise!!!

We were in Homer, about 100 miles south of George, the days before the chess tournament. The day before the tourney, George called and said he would be down near Homer that day, and maybe we could meet up and see his land in Homer and have dinner. That sounded good to us, but George was really vague about just how we should plan it. He said he had to meet a friend near Homer and would call us later that day when he knew what was going on. So he did call later and said he was in Homer and that we should come and meet him, but he was still being vague. We met him outside the Salty Dog Tavern in Homer and he said we had to go see what his friend was up to in a nearby gift shop, and then we'd go have a drink in the Salty Dog. We entered the gift shop, and I thought I recognized the back of the head of a guy paying for a purchase. I had to go around to make sure it was someone I knew... lo and behold, it was George Voorhis! He had arranged to come at the last minute and the 'George's' had kept it a secret. George Voorhis lives just 40 miles from Jan and I in Colorado, and the George's and I often play in a chess tourney in Colorado in February when George L comes down to visit. The George's have been friends since college and I met and played chess with them in Colorado tournaments for years before George L moved to Alaska. This was a total surprise to Jan and I... and I must say, a good one! It was like old-home week, playing a tourney together again some 3,000 miles away from our usual haunt. Well done, George's!!!

3 salty old dogs having a swill at the Salty Dog in Homer, AK...



It's a far piece from Loveland!



Checking out George and Mare's piece of heaven in Homer...



Movin' some pieces and tellin' some stories at George and Mare's...






George and Jan and I stayed at George and Mare's a few days. Chuck and his wife, Lori, came down from Anchorage and stayed in their motor home in the driveway. Chuck cooked us up some Alaska salmon one night... yummmmmmm! A good time was had by all!    George and Mare's home...



And of course the girls, George and Mare's dogs:

Lizzy Borden... her name belies her obsequious personality...



And none other than Bobbi Fischer...



Bobbi has a personality the size of Alaska. She chases moose out of the yard!


Not pictured, Seymour Butts (the cat)