Cruisin'!

We are back to zero temps here in Alaska. Ordinarily I would complain and hole up under my electric blanket for the day, but I have a reason to get out of bed today! My suitcase is packed, my spending money is in my pocket and I'm heading for a warmer climate! Yes, Tom and I are going to be cruisin' for the next ten days. Sea, sand and sunshine are on the agenda and I'm voting "YES!"

Tom, unbeknownst to me, has been saving and planning a Mexican cruise for a couple of years now. I can see the signs now that I look back. My jealous rages when a friend got to go to Hawaii caused him to snicker behind his newspaper, my complaints about gaining at weight instead of losing causing him to grimace when he thought I wasn't looking. Yes, all the signs were there, I just never thought I would see the day. But at last, it has arrived!

We are keeping a close eye on Mount Redoubt today. If she decides to blow her top and the wind is blowing in the right direction, our cruisin' plans could be put on hold. We have been holding prayer vigils that she would calm down and let us get to Seattle before the excitement begins. After that...let her blow! I've been here during one volcanic ash event and that was enough to last me a lifetime. There is not a paper mask to be found anywhere (except Tom's garage has a stash), computers are sporting garbage bags and people are stocking up on groceries just in case. Life in Alaska is always a little on edge. My youngest son asked me why we live here when Alaska is daily trying to kill us? Well, in spite of the cold, the ice, and volcanic eruptions, or maybe because of them, Alaska is an exciting place to live!

New Year News

The new year has started with a very cold bang! It seems since Christmas we have had sub zero temperatures almost constantly! We have doubled our hot coffee and tea consumption, carb loaded without meaning to, turned up our electric blankets and waited out the high pressure system that has been trying to hold us captive.

Finally the last two days have been a sultry 10 to 20 F. It feels like a heat wave! I guess cold can be relative. For those who live in the southern states our fairly freezing Fahrenheit temps would seem very cold indeed!

Speaking of warm southerly places, Tom and I will be leaving on a cruise to Mexico in a couple of weeks. I have dreamed, longed and gave up hope of such a wonderful excursion! I am constantly distracted by thoughts of sandy beaches, moonlit ship decks, and sunshine in my hair! I can hardly wait to get on that red eye flight and I doubt that I'll sleep a wink en route.

It has been my New Years tradition to set goals for myself and not resolutions. I cannot keep them no matter how hard I try! My goals for this year? Hmmm.... I haven't really thought about them much yet and it's already, what? The 12th? 13th? Spiritual: to improve my prayer life and read my Bible through again. I also would like to be more creative in my ministry opportunities and endeavors. Physical: Simply to be healthier December 31st than I was on January 1st. That means less potato chips and more exercise! Personal: to not waste so much time doing the nothings that steal my time. The Nothings would be TV shows that are not time worthy, books that are not worth my reading time, arguments that lead no where, etc. If someone out there in Blog Land would keep me accountable, that would be great!

Happy New Year to All!