The Dark Days

Sorry for my lack of updates! Among the things I've learned about myself in the past several months, is the fact that I am terrible at blogging. Alas, here I am to fill yall in on the recent goings on in AK.

Since my last post, I went to dinner at a friend and coworker's house (Andy B). Him and his wife cooked up some delicious food (although he insisted the chicken was dry, I thought it was delish). They also have the two cutest twin girls I have ever seen. Seriously the cutest little babies ever. Not only was this evening my first shared meal with fellow humans in almost two months, but the little girls both gave me goodnight hugs (my first hugs in two months). Silly fact, I know, but after you've been hanging out alone for 2 months, it's the little things that count!

So the Saturday before turkey day mom flew up here, and we spent the week together. It was a very nice week. Lots of good food and a lot of snow! Something clicked when she got here, and it was like it just wouldn't quit snowing. I also got Maddy spayed, and luckily mom was around to help out with that....which I am very grateful for, so thanks again Mom!

We did some cross country skiing, some driving around on the Kenai Peninsula... generally just hung out and took it easy though.
Here's a quick pic of yours truly when we were cross country skiing at this resort town Girdwood:



On the way back into town we stopped to take a quick pic of the Turnagain Arm (Cook Inlet). It was beautiful because the tide was out, snow on the mountains, and sea ice had been just left in the inlet until the tide came back in again. Here's a view with Mom in it:




Since Mom has left I have been working quite a bit. Usually I go through periods when I have three or four days off, but so far have only have two days off at a time. Pair that with trying to get on a midnight shift schedule, and nothing too exciting has been going on.

So, back to the title of the post, the winter solstice is rapidly approaching. As a result, we are down to about 5 and a half hours of daylight every day. The sun now rises after 10, and sets around 330. Even when it's "daylight", the sun is very low in the sky. the best way I've been able to describe it to people, is basically at its highest point, the sun looks like it does at home about 15 minutes before the sun sets.

I tell you, I don't mind the darkness. I've got other things to worry about, especially since I have no control over the situation. What does strike me is the lack of a truly sunny day here though. It's like you see the sun, and it's like seeing an old friend after a while away from each other. I actually giggle when I see it. I want to ask it something like "Hey man, how have you been? Haven't seen you in a while.... It's so great to see you. So I figure you were over in NC a couple hours ago. I bet they saw you. Did they take you for granted? I don't take you for granted, sun, I just want you to know." Then before I know it it's gone again, hidden behind the clouds. But man those minutes where the sun is out, you can't paint a prettier picture if you tried. Soft light, reds, and oranges. It's sort of like a perpetual sunset.

Moving on, I'm on midnights through Christmas Day (coincidentally when Dad gets here!). So I reckon Christmas will be a reason to celebrate for a number of reasons. Essentially this means I will likely not see daylight for over 2 weeks! Pretty crazy, but the sun will be around again soon enough.

The weather continues to be cold. I looked at some climate data and figured out the last time I felt something out of the 40s was over two months ago. We've had a fair amount of snow recently. I still like snow, but had no idea there were so many types of it.

I'll leave yall with a picture of what the roads typically look like around here. We recently had a bad bout with some freezing rain though... in that case the roads looked literally like an ice skating rink. It was as if the whole city had been zamboni'd. No thanks!