What Next????

Growing up and living in Southern California, there were plenty reminders that we were living in "God's Country". We had fires, floods, earthquakes, winds, mudslides and the list goes on an on. I used to think that someday I might leave California and the advantage of doing so would be to leave all of those lovely acts of God behind.

In a blog post (probably about a year ago) I remember sharing that when we got on the plane to move to Alaska, they were forecasting Santa Ana winds in So. Cal. Sitting on the plane, I turned to Eric and told him the one thing I for sure would not miss about California were the Santa Anas. Then, shortly after we arrived here in Anchorage, we had the luxury of experiencing our own "Santa Anas", only ours are called the Chinooks. Then, if you remember, back in November, the Chinooks hit so hard that we had gale force winds that took down a tree in our yard. As a matter of fact, we had such severe Chinooks and melting two weeks ago that schools were closed for THREE DAYS!!!!! It's Alaska for Pete's sake! Our kids went to school in hurrican grade winds, -18 temperatures two weeks prior and suddenly our schools were closed because it was too warm and we didn't know how to function?????

So, it's a little wind, a few sub-zero temperatures, a little ice, quite a bit of snow and then last weekend... it was an earthquake! The earthquake was not that big of a deal for us, considering we've experienced some doozies in California. The one we experienced last weekend felt like the ones that I felt growing up when they were centered in Palm Springs and we were living in Anaheim. We certainly shook a little, but it wasn't very alarming.

O.K., so now it has been a little wind, a few sub-zero temperatures, a little ice, quite a bit of snow, and an earthquake. What else could nature possibly throw at us? In a year, we have experienced it all...or so I thought. WRONG!!!! Now we are "preparing" (call me naive, but I'm not doing much to prepare) for the possible eruption of Redoubt Volcano, which sits approximately 100 miles from us, out in The Cook Inlet. (We actually have a view of Redoubt from our house). What I have learned about Alaska volcanos is that they don't spew lava, they throw violent ash, rocks and other particles thousands of feet into the air. The concern for the Anchorage area is the ash and projectiles. In the past, I have read that the debris has been so severe that it causes the most damage and injuries as it falls from the sky and hits people and things.

As of today, it has now been a little wind, a few sub-zero teperatures, a little ice, quite a bit of snow, and earthquake, and a possible volcano eruption! Who knew?????? The wierd beauty of it all, is that I am somewhat nostalgic and even a little sentimental about the oddities we have experienced here. I wouldn't trade the experiences we have had here in Alaska for anything. I sit here some days and think about the fact that I had to wait 35 years to experience some of the things we have in the past year and then I think about the fact that my kids are 9 and 11 and will have these memories and experiences to take with them throughout the rest of their lives.

We truly are blessed!

It Never Rains in Southern California...

That is, until I'm finally getting ready to leave Alaska after a year in what sometimes feels like isolation. The forecast in sunny CA is calling for rain almost the entire first week we are there. I truly don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I've already been receiving text messages and emails from friends who are sure we're bringing the rain with us. The difference is, they are happy to have rain in CA, where it has been hot (and often smokey) for many months. Little do they know, if we were really bringing the weather with us, the forecast would call for isolated snow storms, highs in the teens and lows below 0. HA!

The saddest part of all of this is that I think Eric is truly convinced that the weather is going to be crappy just because we are going to be there. This is a huge problem for me because if he really, truly believes that is in fact true, he will never agree to let me leave the state of Alaska again. It's one thing for him to leave Alaska (bless his heart) because it's on business and the company pays for it, but if I leave, we have to pay for it ourselves, and it costs a fortune to get anywhere from here.

My only hope is that the weather forecasters in California are as accurate as they are here. I think they might get the forecast right 3 out of 7 days here. Keep yours fingers crossed for us!

Summer Set For Infamy

On the front page of last Thursday's Anchorage Daily News was an article spelling out just how bleak and cold this summer has been, especially for this California girl. Anchorage is on pace to hit 65 degrees for the fewests days on record! The article, which would be enough to send a lesser person into a very dark depression, even went as far to lay out the staggering statistics in black and white. Let's measure the misery:

Days in a year at 75 degrees or above
Average: 4
Last year: 21
2008: 0

Days in a year at 70 degrees or above
Average: 15
Last year: 21
2008: 2

Days in a year at 65 or above
Average: 44
Last year: 46
2008: 7

Days in a year at 60 degrees or above
(this statistic is my personal favorite)
Average: 88
Last year: 97
2008: 35

Although Eric has been fortunate enough to leave this wonderful place we call "home" for brief jaunts here and there, the boys had I have not been so lucky. We have been in Anchorage every single day of 2008, so far, and have only experienced 35 days of temps. over 60 degrees, and far fewer days of sun. Am I whining? Perhaps. I prefer to think of it as just reporting the facts.

Logan and Eric will be leaving town for a few days at the beginning of September and I'm starting to think that I might just suck it up and pay for Kaiden and I to fly somewhere. It's not cheap to get out of here, not even to just hop over to Seattle, but at this point, I think my sanity is worth more than I'd pay for an airline ticket.

Back in February I was put on a Vitamin D supplement because my levels were extremely "low". I don't know how high the numerical scale for vitamin levels goes, but I know I was only at a 12. Now, six months later and after taking a one-a-week supplement of 50,000 iu of Vitamin D, I am still in the "low" category and have only moved up to a 24. Ideally, I would have been weaned off the supplement and put on a far lower dose of over-the-counter supplements, but so much for that grand idea. I'm going to maintain the initial dosage for 3 more months and then we'll check again.

I'm sure I heard the doctor prescribe a little rest and relaxation in a sunny locale (I just conveniently misplaced that prescription). My husband can't argue with that......can he?