november
After election week, it was a while before Alaska's race was finally decided. Ted Stevens was found guilty in his corruption trial. Absentee ballots counted Begich beat Stevens for the Senate seat. Reaction among local residents ranged from nostalgia at the end of an era with Uncle Ted to estactic joy for a fresh voice for the state.
I went home to NC for Thanksgiving and it was good to see family again after so many months. Okay so for the short version of my "Charlie Brown" trip back to Alaska:he short version: Saturday - Greensboro to Charlotte. 1 1/2 hr Mech delays out of Charlotte... missed Phoenix connection. Spent the night in Phoenix. Sunday - Breakfast at the hotel then spent day in Phoenix airport. Able to catch flight to Seattle. Bad weather in Seattle, not enough fuel to make it to another airport, had to land in local Boeing test field. After 1 1/2 hrs, US Air FINALLY sent buses to take us to the airport. It was around 10:30. Monday - After mech issues AGAIN, in the wee hours of morning, flight finally leaves Seattle for Anchorage.
Pics from breakfast in Phoenix:
december
When I got back, my rental was a Dodge Ram truck...check out my excellent parking skills... and yes I backed into that spot in a parking garage.
December rolled in with colder temps in the teens and single digits and more darkness. Now I understand why alcoholism and depression is so high in Alaska during the winter. Anchorage is further south so the days were not as cold or short as they were further north. Yet, I can say that when you drive into work at 9 am and it is still dark and when by the time you leave work, it has already been dark for a few hours, it can be boring, frustrating and depressing. The key is to stay active as much as possible...or to leave to go home as much as possible, ha!
Anchorage is prettty when it snows. They also have what freezing fog when it is so cold that the fog "frosts" the trees and it looks like a winter wonderland.More to come soon.....
