Cruising Alaska
Posted on July 11, 2025 by Ching under Family, Travel.
Brian and I went to visit the Orbases in Anchorage back in 2017 so this wasn’t our first trip to Alaska. This was, however, our first Alaska cruise. Neither Brian nor I are not huge cruisers. We have been on a few in the past but they were all to warm, tropical destinations. An Alaska cruise really wasn’t on our radar, that is, until we got older. This type of cruise seems to be a rite of passage as you get older. It’s very popular with the over 50 demographic. LOL.
Being the “joiner” that I am, when I found out about Jay and Becca’s Alaska cruise last year, I wanted to be part of it (despite not being a huge fan of cruises). Brian was over 50 now after all and, with me being nearly there, we fit the profile. Plus, we wanted to do something special for celebrating his getting through all his cancer treatments and getting a clear final PET scan and also June is his birthday month and I still felt like we didn’t do anything big enough on his 50th last year so I’m still kind of making up for it in my mind. I also wanted him to get to do some traveling since he missed out on the Mexico trip last year.
After I got back from Tres, I put our down payment on the cruise. Brian wasn’t thrilled at first. He had just started his cancer treatments and wasn’t really feeling the best. He wasn’t sure he would be well enough and feel up to traveling. The end of June would have been well over six months since the start of his cancer treatment journey and at least three months post. I figured it was a safe bet and I had complete faith.
As Brian’s treatments were winding down and he began to get his energy back, he started to get more excited about our trip. But the most excited he got was probably the day before our flight to Seattle when he met with his oncologist to review the results of his final PET scan from the previous week – ALL CLEAR! Only CT scans from here on out. His doctors will continue to monitor him for the next five years but all signs point to a very successful treatment. We were thrilled. And, with that cloud no longer looming over our heads, I think Brian was finally able to let go and relax a bit and really allow himself to be excited for our Alaska cruise adventure.
Before I dive in to the trip recap, I have to mention that both of our parents went on the trip also. I suppose this was a bucket list item for all of us. It was a first cruise for my mom and dad and Brian’s parents recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on June 2 so this was basically an anniversary celebration trip for them. Brian and I were celebrating the conclusion of his cancer treatment journey and also his 51st birthday (a bit belated because it was on June 13) so there was plenty to celebrate all the way around.
Our adventure started in Seattle where Jay and Becca booked our group at the Edgewater Hotel for a pre-cruise stay the day before embarkation. It is a lovely hotel on the pier and we really enjoyed staying there.
Dinner on Wednesday night, the eve of our cruise embarkation day, was at Old Stove Brewing Company. Jim Tsen, a friend I made at Tres Palapas in Mexico back in November met us for dinner. Since Brian didn’t get to go on that trip, this was their first time meeting one another.
The next morning we woke up to a giant Oceania cruise ship next to our balcony.
After a nice, leisurely breakfast with Brian’s parents at Six Seven (on site restaurant at the Edgewater), it was time to board the shuttle and head to our ship. The Edgewater is next to the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) port but it was much further from the Carnival cruise port. If I had to do this again, I would sail with NCL and stay at Edgewater so then I could just walk to the ship the next day for embarkation. By the way, I am going to write separate posts about the restaurant so stay tuned for those.
Embarkation was quick and smooth. We were aboard the ship within minutes. However, staterooms were still being flipped from the previous cruisers so, despite getting on the ship super early, we weren’t able to get into our rooms until 1:30 PM.
Here’s our full cruise itinerary:
- June 26, Thursday – Seattle (Embarkation Day)
- June 27, Friday – Fun Day at Sea
- June 28, Saturday – Endicott Arm Fjord (this was supposed to be Tracy Arm Fjord but we had to reroute for safety reasons)
- June 29, Sunday – Skagway
- June 30, Monday – Juneau
- July 1, Tuesday – Ketchikan
- July 2, Wednesday – Victoria, BC
- July 3, Thursday – Seattle (Debarkation Day)
I am actually contemplating writing a post about each of these stops because there is just way too much to recap in one blog entry.
In the meantime, I will leave you with this montage of pictures and videos taken while we were on the cruise ship. Until next time. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!
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April Was a Big Month
Posted on June 15, 2025 by Ching under Health, Things to Do.
In addition to all the things that happened in April, the biggest of them all being Brian finally getting his feeding tube removed, we also got to do some fun things like check out the new Glass in Flight 2 exhibit at Botanica.
The Glass in Flight 2 exhibit ends July 30 so be sure to stop by Botanica before it leaves. The exhibit is included with your park admission which is just $12 for adults. Brian and I plan to go back next month after we return from our trip. If you’ve been, let us know what you think in the comments.
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Speaking of Easter Sunday
Posted on June 10, 2025 by Ching under Things to Do.
I got Brian to go to “Brunch and Bingo” at Chicken N Pickle on Easter Sunday by bribing him with a free Chicken N Pickle hat. Thanks for the coupon, CNP!
After a couple of hours of sitting there, we did not win a darn thing. LOL. The breakfast was good though. If you’re looking to brunch, I highly recommend CNP. Plus, the bingo is free!
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New Friend Laurie Visits Wichita
Posted on June 9, 2025 by Ching under Pickleball.
I first met fellow Chicken N Pickle ambassador, Laurie Hagen, earlier this year when she was in town for her daughter’s softball game. She mentioned that she was hitting the open play at CNP and wanted to meet fellow ambassadors. I told her I would swing by. Here’s a pic of us from that day.
She returned on Easter Sunday. I tried to put together a ladies’ group but most of my GFs already had plans. Ended up getting Ryan who was such a trooper for playing with us girls.
She returned this past weekend for a pickleball tournament. We first hung out on Friday night at Chicken N Pickle and then played in the Queen of Courts session I was hosting at TapNPaddles that evening.
On Saturday morning, we were both at the Sandbox at Goddard — her competing and me assisting InPickle Nation’s Duane Christian with the tournament. Her team finished second.
On Sunday we took Laurie to brunch at Stearman Field Bar & Grill, our favorite place to take out of town visitors. Ryan ended up meeting us there after church.
It was a really nice visit over all. Looking forward to her next visit.
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EPIC Pickleball Tournament 2025
Posted on May 23, 2025 by Ching under Pickleball.
We had another successful pickleball tournament for the Wichita Children’s Home at the Wichita Country Club again this year. It was EPIC!
Here are highlights from the event last year and highlights from the 2023 event. This was my fifth year helping with the event (my first year was 2021).
I usually team up with my friend Jody Vinson but she was busy with other commitments this year so our team consisted of Michael Bond, and Bryce and Lindsey McClung. They really are the backbone of this event. They help year after year, I think even before I started helping. Sometimes they even get roped into playing like when Harvey Self had to leave in the middle of the tournament last year. This year Bryce actually signed up to play – intentionally.
There are a couple of Spring (early Summer) tournaments that I help with annually. EPIC (formerly It’s a Big Dill) and the Rotary Club of Andover’s Picklemania event. EPIC happens in April and then Picklemania in May. Here are highlights from a past Picklemania tournament:
Recently people have been asking me if Picklemania is happening — because it is that time of year. Unfortunately, I had to step away from it this year and there really wasn’t anyone in our Rotary club who had the interest or capacity to take it over. I normally start planning for the May event around November/December but, as many of you know, that was during Brian’s cancer treatments so I didn’t really feel like doing anything. I didn’t want to think of anything.
It was a tournament that I’ve been really passionate about. However, since my friend Ryan DeSantis and Chris McGill, the two members who were very passionate about hosting the pickleball tournament fundraiser for our club, have left the club, much of the responsibility for planning and organizing and facilitating the event ended up falling to me. Honestly, I was feeling burnt out. I didn’t even feel like doing it last year except Chris Heck (another friend who had helped with our tournament in the past) said it wasn’t happening so I took it as a challenge. LOL. If people don’t want to help me, fine. But, if I want something to happen, I can make it happen. I truly believed that. Of course, that’s because I have Brian and he is equivalent to having 10 volunteers. I realize now that I can do and achieve all the things because I have him by my side.
When Brian got sick and I no longer had my one person I could truly count on for anything and everything, it made me realize just how challenging it is do all the things without his help. I didn’t even want to think doing Picklemania without him. I think I was burnt out.
I’m still happy to help with pickleball tournaments and fundraising events, just not to the extent I was doing. It was too much. Anyway, the next pickleball fundraising event is Picklepalooza which benefits both Senior Services of Wichita and Wichita Cancer Foundation this year. It’s on Friday, June 6, at Chicken N Pickle. You can learn more about and register for the event here. Hope to see you all there.
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