The Porch Postscript

Cabin Fever, the ailment from which I am currently suffering.  Winter has lasted way too long this year.  We didn't take our annual trip to Hawaii to break up the cold and darkness of the long Alaskan winters, for which I am truly in a state of regret.  We are still under about two feet of snow, probably more in select spots of our yard.  Yes.  The sun has returned, but that doesn't make the cold leave. I'm tired of going from the car to a building and back to the car and back to a building.  This routine is getting OLD!!!  I want to be outside, which yes if I bundle up I can be, but I HATE THE COLD.  I don't have any desire to be out in it, trudging through the snow, pretending I love winter.  Nope.  No Way.  Not at all.  I'm over it and ready for some summer!!! I've had a number of people say getting a "happy" light helps.  Maybe it does, but it's no substitute for sitting on the porch sipping iced tea and listening to the birds.  Yep, I ha

WARNING:  This could offend those that love living here. We've lived here just over six years.  Do I love it here?  Nope.  Will I ever?  Nope.  Let me clarify, I don't hate it here, but I'm not staying for life.  I know there are millions of people watching reality tv shows, itching to live the "Alaskan Dream", but let me tell you there is a HUGE difference between dreaming about living it and actually doing it. Since we've been here we've seen a lot of people move in and move out, less than a year later.  People up here tell stories about newcomers and those that can't hack it here.  There's the guy who sold his motorcycle because he heard there were no roads in the Interior.  There's the one about the couple who didn't realize it got so dark for so long here in the winter.  There's the wife that wouldn't move here because it's too far to do any "real" shopping.  And there's a zillion stories about the people

by Stacy Petersen (written 23 July 2008) From the street, Three steps climb a small hillside, To a yard that is still mowed. The frail driveway, Worn by weather and time, Guides the way, To a garage, Rundown with neglect. Yet there is no house, That a family would have shared. No path to a front door, That could have been.   Not even a foundation,  To reflect where the home stood. Where did it go, The house that isn't there? Lost to flames, Claimed by a bulldozer's angry rage, Or was it the victim of a dream gone awry?

What exactly does that look like?  I'll be honest, I don't know.  For now possibly just more posting here.  Perhaps writing something to submit somewhere later on.  Feasibly some more short essay-style pieces.  If I'm truly honest, I don't know how long this desire will last. I've craved and reveled in writing since I was young.  I wrote stories on my electric typewriter in Junior High.  Later in High School, I took both a short story and a poetry class, neither of which ended up being what I imagined they would be.  I've submitted a few pieces to short story contests, but that never went anywhere.  Looking back, I'm sure it was because I was writing high school quality work to send into a magazine with adults submitting a much higher level of work to the same competitions. Later in my adult life, when we lived in Missouri, I was part of a writing group for a very short amount of time.  Just as I was starting to get back into writing, I got a much-needed

I can hear my friend Amy calling me a rebel as I write this.  I really can't make myself do anything that  doesn't make my heart sing.  I made is 24 days into a 100-day project.  Let me just point out that I need to stop trying these things.  I NEVER complete any of them.  I didn't complete Inktober a couple of years ago.  I failed at the 30-day color challenge... and now this.  I must stop!  So here they are the last few shots that took us to day 24. Day 21 : Selfie, no makeup, and messy hair. Day 22 : Kitten paw. Day 23 : Lemon Kitty. Day 24 : Dinner.  Eating my stress with mac n cheese and fries with a glass of red wine. The End.

Let's get one thing out in the open, right up front.  I have four children.  No, I did not give birth to them.  No, they are not human.  They are children none the less. We currently have four girls, two dogs and two cats.  We talk to them like they are human and treat them better than some people treat children.  The sleep in our bed, they get on the couch, they make us crazy.  We buy them treats, toys and even clothing when needed.  I worry about them as if they are children when we leave them with a sitter for the weekend. Our youngest has bad manners and is headstrong.  She loves to "taste" everyone who comes to the door.  No biting, just a bit of doggie mouthing and gumming.  She gets very excited when people come and she loves to talk.  She's the Houdini of the group.  Can get out of most anything that she finds confining.  She loves treats, being free and sleeps on her back under our bed at night.  Hedy is a mixed breed rescue dog, part husky, chow and rott

Listening :  I've been listening to a variety of things as of late. The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher Chasing Creative Podcast The Spa Radio channel on Pandora Using the Noisli for white noise Reading :   I'm about halfway through reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin .  I'm trying hard to finish this one, but I'm not sure it's gonna happen.  I could really do without the excerpts that are comments from her blog readers.  There have also been a few spots where I just want to shout - "get to the point already".  I think I can honestly say at the halfway mark, I won't be reading any more of her books.  Her writing style really isn't a good fit for my reading style. Exploring : I'm exploring how my personality type - INFP.  I took the Meyers Briggs test online at 16personalities.com  to learn my type.  Now I'm focused on trying to figure what changes I need to make to fit my type and my life better. Lea