Tonight Hannah, Zaine and I went out to the Governor’s Open House. We drove into town and parked the truck, and the three of us walked a couple of blocks up to the governor’s mansion. We waited in line with the rest of the public while staff came all through the line with cookies and hot cider.
The line was not too long. Maybe a block at the most. But the line always seemed to be moving and we were never standing one place very long.
When we got up to the front door we were instructed to wait so that guests inside the mansion could exit and allow for more room inside for more guests to enter. After waiting a few moments we were allowed inside and told that we could all stand with the governor and someone would take our picture but we needed to have our camera ready. That’s pretty much what happened. We made our way up to Sarah Palin who smiled, said hello, and shook all of our hands. I then handed my camera over to a staff member to had taken a photo of the person in front of us with their camera. We all turned to face the camera, smiled and before we knew it we were in the next room filled with cookies.
We all grabbed a few cookies and made our way around the mansion. We went in one large circle. Six rooms in all, if i remember correctly. The pictures and video below tell the story better then I can.
[Update December.10.2008] The local Juneau Empire news paper was updated today with a story on the governor’s 93rd open house since the mansion opened 95 years ago.
Juneau’s Tom Matthews said he turned out for the open house to impress his relatives down south.
“My family in Wisconsin are just so ga ga for Governor Palin I had to get a picture of me with her,” he said.
As the lines of well-wishers trooped through the house, they were serenaded by local school groups and plied with cookies and punch. Many were wearing their newest Xtratufs for the occasion.
Palin spent hours greeting well-wishers with “so glad you could come,” for some and “thank you for your service” for others.
Also on hand were husband, Todd, and daughters Piper and Willow, who handed off baby Trig at times.
[2nd Update December.10.2008] The Boston Herald has a story up on the governor’s open house.
More than 3,300 visitors poured into the Alaska Governor’s Mansion on Tuesday for the annual Christmas open house hosted by Gov. Sarah Palin.
…”Thanks for coming over. Merry Christmas to you,” Palin said again and again to the stream of people over three hours.
Palin, wearing a velvet kuspuk, paid especially close attention to children, crouching to greet them at eye level, holding up the line to ask them questions…
