I kept telling everyone I saw that everything would have been nicer with snow; I guess I should have qualified that statement and specified exactly when I’d like my snow to fall. Before, during, and after we were supposed to leave Boston for Anchorage would not have been my choices, but as it happened, our travel plans were shot to pieces by the first storm of the year in Boston.

We arrived at the airport at 3:30 for a 6:00 pm departure on Sunday, and after finally boarding at around 6, sitting on the tarmac for five hours trying to get pushed back, de-iced, and re-fueled, we were deplaned at 11:00 pm and sent home. We tried again the next day, and from a scheduled 11:30 departure, finally took off around 4:00 and got to Anchorage, after a stopover in Seattle, at 11:30 pm, thirty-six hours after our travels had begun. For all the years living in Alaska and Boston, and travelling around at the holidays, I’ve got to say, it was the first time I’ve ever had travel plans really messed up. When we finally got it, it was a relief to see my parents at the gate, with the added bonus of Brent, on his way back to Seattle, for another airport rendezvous. It was nice to see him, but extremely strange; it was undobutedly the shortest amount of time (less than a minute) I’ve ever spent with a good friend – I feel like you’d either not see the person or you’d stop and chat for at least a couple of minutes. Anyway, we’ll have to catch up later. We unwound at home with a mug of glögg, and finally hit the sack around 2 am.

As tought as it was getting home, it certainly was worth it. Winter in Anchorage is a great thing, especially with weather like the clear, crisp kind we had today. We slept in, thankful we weren’t on a plane or anywhere near one, and enjoyed Christmas II, complete with brass and choir carols, and a gorgeous view of Denali, Susitna, and a dozen other peaks, slowly illuminated by the emerging sunlight.



We had a wonderful exchange of gifts, including the usual chocolate coins and some excellent kitchen-related gadgets as well as books and clothes, which came in handy with our missing luggage.



Dad enjoys his Monopoly: Mountaineering Edition:



Aimee and I headed to AMIPA‘s new offices at the beautiful new UAA Library to talk to Bob, Kevin, and Mike, and see their new facilities. We also talked to Brent’s sister Tracy at her office in the library, and then headed to the scene that is the The Moose’s Tooth for pizza and beer. Tonight, we’re off to The Fly-by-Night Club for “Christmas in Spenard” – I can’t wait.