Inconveniences that only occur in Alaska

I had planned a short run today, but it ended up being over six miles. I know this is short compared to my runs in years past, but I'm not in training for anything so I take it easy nowadays. But why was our run lengthened, you ask? Oh yes, because our way home was blocked by a moose. Instead of cutting across the route we usually take, we had to go back the way we had come and repeat the longer side of the loop. The girls, of course, were happy as only a husky in Winter can be. And at least I was comfortably dressed for once... I've figured out that the most intelligent use of thermometer outside our window is to use it to decide what to wear before I leave the house, not for me to look at after my run so I can say, "Whoa! So that's why I'm freezing/sweating my ass off!" Yeah! I'm smart! I'ma get me a PhD!

Dang it!

The short days don't bother me because I get depressed or have seasonal affective disorder or anything. They bother me because they seriously cut into my fun. Thursdays are the days I usually leave early to skijor with the girls, but each Thursday has required leaving earlier and earlier. Today I would have had to leave at 2, and I couldn't, so I have to miss our standing date. :(

Dangit!

Notes from here and there

We had an unusually cold October and November. But it wasn't anything intolerable, and I'm glad we didn't have any heat spells to turn our snow into dangerous ice, like we did over Thanksgiving 2007. Today, temps are up another 20F degrees from yesterday, making for a total change of 50F degrees in two days. Isn't that something?

Here are the girls sleeping with their feeties:


Edit: here is a photo I took just a few minutes ago, from our window. It's about 11 a.m., and the sunrise is still proceeding.


And just think, it's less than three weeks until the Solstice, and we'll start gaining daylight again!

Well, well, well

What have we here? A leap in 30F degrees from yesterday. Of course, me being an idiot, I don't check the thermometer before heading out for my morning run. So I put on the three pairs of pants, the shirt, the fleece, the jacket, the two pairs of gloves, etc, etc and head out and sweat bullets. I must give my girls lots of credit--they don't change their clothes from day to day, and I never hear a grumble out of them!

All sorts of miscellany

1. BRRRRR! It is -29F/-34C today!

2. Here is the pi I made for Thanksgiving:


3. How did I make it to four days past Thanksgiving to have my first turkey melt? Mmmmmmm...


4. Have I ever mentioned that my dogs are somewhat cuddly wuddly?

Rest in Peace

We lost a professor last week, Dr. Heinz Wiechen. It was pretty apparent that his health was poor, but he was such a nice man that we didn't really grasp that nature would ever get the better of him. But in the end, good karma and goodwill weren't enough.

Dr. Wiechen shared an idiosyncrasy with just a few people in Fairbanks--he would wear shorts year-round, no matter what the weather. The first time I became aware that he would never put the shorts away for Winter, it was about -20F/-30C. I was in the produce section of Freddies, and saw him across the aisle, in his shorts. I said hello, and asked why he was in shorts. He smiled and shrugged. "Why not wear the shorts?" he said in his German accent. "It is not so cold!"

Anyway, here is is home page and here is his page to recruit new grad students. There are some beautiful photos of the aurora, and you can kind of tell from his narration what a warm, funny guy he was.

Thanksgiving aftermath photos

No, I don't have that beautiful shot of the turkey coming out of the oven, or the sides arranged prettily on the table. Somehow we prioritized eating and conversation. Anyway, here are some photos that D took. Thanks D!

Dan at his favorite activity--cleaning:


Playing cards:


Light conversation:


Cuddly girls:


Sam:


We spent part of the morning attempting to teach Sam to skijor. We hooked her up in tandem with Linden, and hooked them up to Sam's papa, while her mama, Autumn, and I all skied/ran loose ahead of and behind them. Linden wouldn't pull when I was behind her, only when I was ahead of them. She loves her mama. :) Sam did surprisingly well! Sam's papa, however, wasn't much help! I generally try to help the dogs as best I can, by striding and poling. With Linden and Autumn's strength, speed, and skill, the three of us can really get going! I guess Sam's papa has a different philosophy... he didn't even take his poles, and he just stood there and let them do all the work! I thought to myself, poor Sam and Linden, they thought they were out for some fun, but it turned out to be just a drag.

HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!! I kill myself!

We had some old friends visiting from Seattle, so we spent the rest of the weekend sightseeing and skiing. My first time on the Tanana this year! And their first time skiing on a river, ever! It was so cool, and very, very beautiful.