Uxorial, I used an Olympus digital camera. And yes, the cold affected the camera. It fogged up the lenses inside the camera and occasionally it wouldn't operate at all but that was rare. I kept it tucked inside my jacket whenever I wasn't using it. I also noticed that none of my photos are as crisp and clear as they have been previously. One of the gals I traveled with had all kinds of problems with her little camera (can't remember which one it was). Hers shut down altogether a good deal of the time and she was going through batteries at a ridiculous rate. I gave her one of my hand warmers to wrap around the camera on a particularly cold photo op day. It really helped. I went through more batteries than usual as well but not as bad as hers. She'd take 10 pictures and her batteries were dead. I'm sure Casey who takes all the wonderful photos in cold, icy Newfoundland can shed some more light on this problem. Jodi-

It was a busy day at work trying to tie up everything before abandoning ship for two weeks so I couldn't write much earlier. So now I'll address individual suggestions... Glenda I'm not sure we'll be doing the lumberjack show, I already feel like I've met them all through you and it's quite evident they have been spoken for. ;-) No Talkeetna so I'm sad to say, no moose poop :-) Talkeetna is one of the checkpoints on the Iditarod so I'm sad we're not going there. Nanny You and others have suggested Mendenhall and White Pass et. al, so they are a definite consideration. The idea of seeing the suburbs really appeals to me too. I agree, museums in AK are quite well done. Interesting, one of the most impressive museum-like exhibits I've seen was at the Alaska Native Medical Center. Happyladi I like the idea of renting a car in Skagway and taking that drive to Emerald Lake unless the train goes that way as well. I love trains. I subscribed to cruisecritic.com about a month ago to learn more about different cruise lines. I've been so busy at work that I barely had time to read it. I'll go back there tonight and take a look. And I'm all bummed out ... because of my busy schedule, I wasn't able to dedicate much time looking for my new frames/lenses until just this last week. I finally found frames I loved. After the eye exam at a place that doesn't honor VSP, it was determined even with short lenses, my script would not fit. I found another pair at another optometrist that does accept VSP. I go for another exam tomorrow morning and will see if they can fit my new choice. Why am I sad? Because of course I've sat on this project too long and now I will go on vacation with old glasses which no longer work for distances. Hmmm, maybe I'll pay for the $100+ exam for contact lenses and just wear my sexy new frames without any lenses at all, I hear it's all the rage in Asia. :-) Carol I sure wish DH and I liked salmon because people rave about the barbecues. I do love just wandering around places I visit. Sitka was my favorite stop last time because my travel friend booked a tour and I did not. I just wandered the shops, streets and neighborhoods. The glacial silt soap sound interesting. I'm a real sucker for unusual soaps. Cherbo Have not been to Denali yet, but one day. Kat Fortunately I have family in Seattle to ease the pain of not meeting you. :-) Socks We rented a Netflix documentary last night that talked about Haines so I jotted down the name. While walking around Sitka, I found the Sheldon Jackson Museum but didn't go in. Can't remember if it was closed or I just decided not to go in. The school next door was all boarded up and made the area feel kind of ghost-town-like. The Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary sounds just up my alley! The ship we're sailing is the Celebrity Mercury. I was born in Seattle so family is meeting us down at Pike's Place. Where we're going from there, I'm not sure. We might drive down to Gig Harbor to see a friend of mine and my sister who probably won't be going to Pike's Place. Jodi-

Ummmmmmmmmmm I will bring a big pot of "grandma's beans" (similar to Calico Beans) and some Miller Lite! If I had known earlier, I could have whipped up some jell-o shooters! Everyone's ideas sound so good!

Here you go! Enjoy and Happy Holidays! Alaska cole slaw 5 cups shredded cabbage **I buy the preshredded plain, no carrots, etc at WalMart 1/2 cups almond slivers, toasted 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries 1/2 cup celery, diced**don't use 1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper **don't use This is the creamy dressing I used and it works great: mix 1/2 c mayo with 2 Tbl cider vinegar **I used white wine vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, salt and pepper to taste Pour over coleslaw right before serving and toss JUST TO COAT Combine cabbage, almonds, cranberries, celery, green onions, and green pepper in a large plastic bowl with a snap-on lid. Combine all dressing ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour dressing over slaw just before serving. Stir well