As the days in good old New Jersey become shorter, I am reminded of a place where the precious minutes of daylight really mattered as the calendar catapulted towards the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. A distant place where the sun rises around 10:30 a.m. and sets around 3:30 p.m. on December 21st. That’s a mighty short day.
Not exactly a fan of Sarah Palin, you bet’cha, but I do have some fond memories of the time that J and I spent in Anchorage, Alaska as young, adventurous, twenty-somethings back in the early 1980s. We filled the description of what was then appropriately labeled "D.I.N.K.S." Double Income No Kids. Anyway, that was from 1980 to 1982, until my son was born. Then we were just called parents.
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| October 1980/Downtown Anchorage (View from the Captain Cook Hotel where we stayed on our house hunting trip.) |
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| Summer 1981/J and my Mom at Portage Glacier |
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| December 1980/Our Igloo – Outside (That's me in the driveway.) |
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| January 1981/Our Igloo – Inside... and our crazy dog Harly |
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| Foothills – a short ride down Seward Highway South (We couldn't see Russia from our back yard, but we could see majestic mountains.) |
And in the summer, it barely got dark.
[Previous post about Alaska: Earthquakes, Glaciers and the Cold, Cold Dark]
[Previous post about Alaska: Earthquakes, Glaciers and the Cold, Cold Dark]
This is so awesome! I love it, and I love the photos. Yes, that is an experience to treasure always. Love, alice
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alice. It was one of those opportunities that, if not taken, I think would always have been a regret. Love, Linda
ReplyDeleteLinda, my brother lived in Anchorage for 10 years and it is my huge regret that I didn't take advantage of that and visit him while he was there (little kids, etc etc). Such fun pics!
ReplyDeleteLin, where was Uncle Aldo in the photos? and p.s. my dad was talking to me about him again yesterday. he loves to talk about his brothers if given the chance. :)
ReplyDeleteKim, since we left 25 years ago, we have not run into very many people at all that ever lived there. Anchorage is not very large; I wonder what street your brother lived on.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alice. My dad only visited once with my mom. He and Joe went off halibut fishing... he loved that. Mom came up two or three times by herself, Judi and Mike once together and Judi once by herself. Joe's parents visited once. I loved having company! It got lonely up there.
ReplyDeleteAnd...I am really glad that your dad is still a talker and sharing things. How is he doing these days? I may not always ask because I don't want to put you in the position of having to always tell me. But I am thinking of him and wishing him well.
Love, Linda
Hi,Loved the photos glamour girl they are great it surely was a wonderful experience for you two.My sister-in-law look wonderful in the photo with J.
ReplyDeleteThose short days must have been tough we complain here when daylight savings is over but 10to3 is alittle much. Still you guys have wonderful memories.
Love Aunt Ann
Thanks, Aunt Ann. We are still overly sensitive to the shortening days, even after 25 years. It was that weird. Further north, on the North Slope, where Joe lived and worked for a week on and a week off, the day/night division was even more extreme – it barely got light at all. Love, Linda
ReplyDeleteP.S. You know that the only reason I put that first picture in is because that is the last time in my life that I was skinny!