This past few weeks have been a bit more than the typical Alaskan winter. A week or so ago huge ice formations at least 20 feet high and football length were discovered on two streets in Barrow. The winds blew the ice chunks from the Arctic Ocean onto the streets and made them into one lane for traffic. Heavy equipment was able to clear the covered roadway.

Yesterday, large ice sheets pushed against a 600’+ oil tanker tethered to the dock about 20 miles away from here. The strength of the ice caused the cables holding the tanker to the dock to break. That allowed the tanker (unable to be controlled) to float until it rested upon a sandbar. It was re-floated this morning. Although this could have had a tragic environmental outcome, everything went just as it needed to be. Alaskans have instilled many safeguards related to the drilling and transportation of oil and its products. Eight gallons of fuel was spilled because everybody knew what to do and did it.

We’ve had a lengthy period of cold weather in the state. Many days the state’s lowest temperature has been below -60 degrees. That is not counting the wind chill factor. Last night the temperature in Barrow with the wind chill factor was -79 degrees! When I drove home last night after grocery shopping, it was -20 degrees. That’s a bit nippy and there was a breeze which made it around -30 with wind chill factor. C-O-L-D!!! Daytime temperatures have been around zero. Within the next couple days it is to warm up and even get into the 30’s above zero sometime next week.

When it is cold it is imperative that our diets consist of more fat than usual to help keep us warm enough out of doors. Additional fat in the winter does make a difference. Recipes used are certainly different than during the summer. We make sure the dogs get ample fat with their food to keep them happy and content as they snuggle up in their dog houses.

My husband and I went out for dinner tonight. I had a prime roast (6 oz) with glazed carrots and a nice and BTD friendly salad bar. I brought most of the dinner home because I’m making an effort to stop eating as soon as I get any inkling that I’m getting full instead of eating what was served. My goal is to lose weight this year.

I am beginning to redecorate my kitchen and do a bit of rearranging, too. The way I have it now doesn’t allow the heat to be distributed throughout the room very well. When it is well below zero the kitchen is quite cold. I bought some shelving units today that will enable the heat from the baseboard to circulate better and give me necessary storage space.

Well, that’s about it for now. Take care. Till next time…