Another Snowy Day

It warmed up overnight, and the inch of light snow that had collected on the balcony and front stairs turned to slush, and then solid ice.

Needless to say (so why am I saying it?), we don't go out that way very often, this time of year.

But the temps, which were supposed to fall, have been bouncing around the freezing mark all morning. We've had several rounds of light snow, picking up another inch or so.

Given the forecast, we headed into the city after breakfast. That allowed us to beat the hordes of zombies, Reavers, and angry shoppers who begin to appear between 1000 and 1100. And since none of those are present early, the stores' staffs are happier, too.

We hit a couple three big box stores, with specific goals in mind. Goals achieved, we headed back north.

In the meantime, the highway is in variable condition, so traffic speeds vary between 50 and 60 most of the way. So it wasn't awful, and bit o' fishtailing from time to time keeps the heart beating nicely.

:)

We've been addressing Christmas cards and wrapping gifts since then. The only chore left now is a trip to the post office.

Once that's done, we're in for the afternoon, and looking forward to a round of Christmas movies.

Thanks for stopping by, friends.

Christmas Gifts for Real Alaskans

Just some suggestions of items popular among long-time residents, or those they wish they had:

Alaskan repair kit:

What every Alaskan needs: duct tape, Heet, whiskey, WD-40, pine-scented air fresheners, glue, fishing line, baling wire

Alaskan army knife:

Swiss army knives are for Europeans. Corkscrews and nail files may come in handy at your chalet in Gstaad, but we Alaskans demand more from our multi-tools. Components are specifically designed to open without making you put down your beverage of choice,  and include: pull-tab scratcher, fish bonker, miniature chain saw, windshield squeegee, caribou de-boner, caribou re-boner, extra-strong toothpick reinforced to handle even the most stubborn homemade jerky, and a bolo tie (Don Young signature model only).

Bun Finder:

Maps a route to the nearest available cinnamon roll within a 1,000-mile radius.

GPS GPS:

Locates your lost GPS, which you swear you stashed in a dry bag somewhere in your garage, shed, crawl space or storage unit. Although it’s entirely possible you loaned it to any one of 20 people who literally may be anywhere right now.

December 26th

Gregor, the original Sad Old Goth, has posted a wonderful explanation of the feelings on the day after a major holiday here. We've all felt the way he does today, but he really expressed it well. Thanks, Gregor.

Our living room is not "back to normal" since the tree and other decorations are still up. The piles of presents are gone, though, and I can once again reach the living room window to let in what light there is.

UPDATE: We received only about 7 1/2 inches of snow in the last 24 hours, and it's windy and 16 degrees here. Accu-Hunch is surmising that we'll have falling temps today, and highs between 0 and 10 above for the next week. The overnight lows won't be as cold as they typically get in a few more weeks. But -5 is a good start on the chilly season to come.

The girls were all pleased with their gifts, as was I. It seems everyone received what they wanted, which is always a good thing.

I've been out to the sporting goods store this morning, to pick up a few more accessories. Neither the traffic nor the roads were too bad. I did slip and nearly fall at the same spot in the parking lot, twice - while leaving and returning to the truck.

I pray that you and yours have a safe, restful day, and that you are content with that. Be blessed, friends, and come on back.