Living in Alaska is kind of like living in Christmas.  Not that it’s always a party.  Not that it’s always happy.  Not that it’s always a celebration.  No, it’s like Christmas because each morning you get up and when it gets light enough to see the day, it’s like a present under the tree that gets unwrapped and . . . SURPRISE!  No two days are ever the same.  I think that if I were to take a picture out our front window each morning at sunrise, there would likely be no two  similar photos.

Some days the weather forecast is almost accurate.  Today, for example, the Weather Channel had snow icons for most of the day.  I suppose, if you count the tops of the distant mountains that were shrouded in clouds, there was snow.  But here in the valley, we had a bright sunny day.

But I’m not complaining.  I find that I really enjoy the surprise element of living here.  I live more in each moment.  We don’t make long range plans based on long range forecasts.  Similarly, we don’t not make long range plans based on long range forecasts.  Our plans might change at any moment, and that’s OK too.  It makes me feel more alive and less programmed.  There is more surprise from day to day and I find being able to adapt to that surprise is a pleasant way to feel about myself.  Three cheers for Christmas in Alaska all year long!