Winter Wonderland

A couple of mornings ago, the temperature dropped to -38 degrees F. I had closed down my blinds to help stop a draft. In the morning I opened them, and my windows had frozen. Near the top was a beautiful snowcrystal. I took a photo of it a bit later as the sun was setting. The photo does not do it justice! Enjoy!

http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r348/tennkress/alaska/?action=view¤t=snowcrystal.jpg

Longest Night

Well, happy Winter Solstice! We are at the darkest time of the year up here. The sun rises at 1 PM and sets at 2:42 PM. Of course, some of that time is the twilight, and with clouds, it doesn't really get bright. The past week or so, it is an almost constant blizzard. I posted a clip in my last post. Tonight the power went out. Down in Tennessee it was an inconvenience. Up here, if it stays out for even an hour, it gets pretty cold. If it gets too bad, we just head for the hospital. They have double generators, so we should be okay. It is kind of scary when the lights go out. You could easily freeze to death in your home, and it wouldn't take long to do it either. I know I am going to really appreciate spring this year! The scenery is gorgeous right now, but it is too cold for me to be able to enjoy it in person. I am stuck with watching out of the windows of my house or from the cab. I do love it here believe it or not, but I would pay $100 for a Whopper! I miss fast food! Happy Holidays if I don't post again before then!

Longest Night and a Blizzard!

Well, we have reached the longest night. We get about an hour of sunlight, and it is cloudy, so still is dark. On top of that, today we had a blizzard. I got my new camera so I hope you can see this. It might take a bit to load for you. Enjoy! Oh and Merry Christmas Everyone!



http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r348/tennkress/?action=view&current=MOV00003.flv

I broke my foot dang it!

Well, two nights ago I managed to break my foot, and learned how un-hospital-like the hospital is. I broke my foot the night before, but the taxis were not running. So I waited and went to the hospital. I had to walk in to the ER. At first, they didn't take me serious, since I was walking on it. That all changed when I took off my shoe, and they went into shock seeing it. It is very swollen and black and blue. The x-rays showed it is broken. They will send the films to the radiologist in Anchorage, and I am supposed to go back on Thursday or Friday. Glad I got neuropathy and nice pain medication! I am still walking on it without a cast or anything. Sigh....

Now for interesting stuff. I found a link to a sight that you can do a walking tour of Kotzebue, AK. Check this out, it is fun! I live at 439 6th ave. You might be able to find it. Have fun!

http://www.untraveledroad.com/Tour/USA/Alaska/Arctic/Kotzebue?w=5E

Daylight Hours Are Shrinking!

I woke to the forecast for tomorrow on the radio. The sun will rise at 12:07 PM and set at 3:24 PM. That will give us about 3 hours and 17 minutes of daylight. We will get down to 45 minutes of sunlight by Dec. 21. Today our high will be -10 degrees Fahrenheit and the low will be - 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind off of the sound will be 10-15 knots. Interesting isn't it?

That is our only radio station for music by the way. It plays whatever they feel like playing, sometimes rock, sometimes gospel, depending on who is the disc jockey at the time. I got to get thinking about Christmas soon. If I don't presents won't get out on time. Ugh! Whoever invented shopping for Christmas should be shot! Just kidding. It presents a unique challenge from Alaska!

Anyway, I better get going. 3 hours to do everything I need to do sucks! Take care all!

Happy Thanksgiving from Alaska!

This is supposed to be a time for giving thanks for our many blessings throughout the year. We have a lot to be thankful for. Here is our top 10 list:

1. We are thankful for having so many loving friends and family members still breathing! (Yep as you get older that counts!)
2. We are thankful to have a nice home, even if it is in the deep freeze! (minus 28 degrees a couple nights ago)
3. We are thankful we could buy a already made pumpkin pie, because our local store doesn't carry the ingredients to make one!
4. We are thankful for the internet, cause at .31 cents a minute, phone calls just are too expensive!
5. We are thankful for the ice cleats on the bottom of our shoes. Anchorage is a long way away, and that is where you get sent for serious injuries!
6. We are thankful I found a roasting pan large enough to put the turkey in, and it cost less than $100!
7. We are thankful for frozen White Castle Hamburgers! It is our only source for well remembered fast food! Sigh....Wendy's, Burger King, Subway..... Someday
8. We are thankful for the local Taxi, too cold to walk to the store and postoffice!
9. We are thankful we don't have to live on Muktuk! (Whale skin and blubber)
10. We are thankful for everyday we have together, even though we can drive each other nuts!

Well, Minus 25 Degrees!

I was impressed by yesterdays temperatures. Sigh.... Right now real time temperature is -25 degrees. Now that is impressive! I wonder when it will get warm (anything above zero is warm) again. Right now, the sauna I found out about is looking nicer and nicer!

Today Richard found out the importance of walking to work with a flashlight. Last night, a doctor who was visiting here from Anchorage was killed. He was walking somewhere out in the dark about 2 miles from town, and was hit by a snowmobile. There are no rules around here about driving snowmobiles or ATV machines. They go zipping along, and I have almost been in an accident while in a taxi. I hope this wakes Richard up, that he is no longer in Tennessee. Sigh.... I feel sorry for the family of the doctor.

Good night for now!