That'll do, snow... that'll do

What does it take for someone who hasn't posted a blog post in almost 2 years to post?  Fourteen inches of snow in April, that's what. 

I know, I can hear it now.... "Uhhhhh, you live in ALASKA.  Didn't you realize it snows there?"  Yes, I do realize it snows here, and most of the time I actually enjoy it.  I call snowflakes 'happiness flakes' (this started because the girl who works in the office next to mine HATES snow and I was officially banned, by written memo, to go running through the workplace, waving my arms like a crazy person yelling 'snow, it's snowing, snow, snow, snow... yipeeeeee).  I love snow so much that I made up a new measurement of time called 'snow time.'  I believe that watching snowflakes fall, much like watching a gold fish swim around in a goldfish bowl, slows time and relaxes the watcher.  But, it's APRIL.  April means tulips, and budding spruce trees, and warm sunny days, and children flying kites.  Doesn't it?  Maybe it's just been winter for so long that I have forgotten which month spring in Alaska normally begins. 

But, come on, 14 inches?  OH, and did I mention that was over a day and a half period, and that just 2 days later is snowed another 8 inches?  My poor husband has had to snow blow the driveway 3 times in 5 days. Then, not even 4 hours after I check the National Weather Service website for the 10 day forecast (which assured me it was going to be nothing but sunny days and blue skies in my zip code), I came out of my Wednesday University Spanish class and find .... what?  You guessed it, SNOW on my car.  Two inches of what I am no longer referring to as happiness flakes.  Cristine is not amused, and Cristine is certainly NOT happy.

I'm ready for spring.  I'm ready for temperatures that allow me to stop wearing a jacket all the time.  I want to go hiking and fishing and biking (yes, I said biking... if saying it again will make spring come faster, I will say again that I want to go biking).  I want to take walks in normal tennis shoes and not snow boots.  I want to be able to wait at the bus stop for my bus to my Tuesday and Thursday afternoon University classes and not wish that I had worn earmuffs that morning to work.

I just want spring.  What god do I have to pray to for it to come?  Is there a special 'welcome spring in' ritual that I missed somewhere?  

Yup, still the worst

Yup, it's official, still the worst blogger in history. If they gave awards for neglectful bloggers, I'd get one.

On a more positive note... the red currants are ready to be harvested! Took a walk through the woods at the north entrance to Eagle River and the red jewelled wonders were everywhere! Planning on going this week, sometime after the rain stops. It was glorious on Friday, then Saturday came, and the heavens opened. I'll also be heading to Girdwood this weekend to see what I can anticipate as far as the harvest for berries there goes.

Reading an amazing book now called A Sense of the World about James Holman, a man who lived from 1786-1857. He was completely blind, but managed to do more in his life than I probably (no, not even probably. It should read: definitely) ever will. He circumnavigated the globe, charted the Australian outback, fought the slave trade in Africa, survived captivity in Siberia, hunted elephants in Ceylon, and did many other amazing things that few sighted adventurers could hope or dream to accomplish. It is definitely a humbling book, and makes me feel just a tad guilty for not accomplishing more with my life. I feel guilty enough to take my cable box back to the cable company, which we are doing tonight. Need to do a lot less watching, and a lot more living!

Worst blogger in history award goes to....

It's official. I'm a horrible blogger. I haven't blogged in almost a year. It certainly isn't for lack of interesting things to blog about in the largest state in the union. I'll chalk it up to total laziness. Or, I could blame it on Facebook. With a social networking site that makes keeping in touch with family and friends so gosh darned easy, it makes snail mail and even blogging look tedious!

They say the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Well, I admit it. I'm a lazy blogger. I'm pretty sure there isn't a recovery group for my issue, so I'll have to just keep blogging till I feel my recovery is at hand.