Orien Family News

I just returned from a month long trip ‘outside’ (that’s Alaska talk and how we refer to any place other than Alaska. Apparently we Alaskans believe that Alaska is ‘inside’ and everywhere else is ‘outside’. Inside the deep freezer? Inside prison? Outside of the deep freezer? Outside of prison? Can you tell the winter coldness and doldrums have set in and my attitude has taken a hard left from the exuberate one of 24 hour summer sun?).

Anyway, I spent time in Salt Lake City with Erin and her cute family; in Spokane with my twisted sisters and their families; and capped it off with 5 days in Las Vegas with Spencer and his two cute doggies. It was while I was in Spokane that my sister reminded me of a saying my dad used to have that ‘you could get used to anything’. After this trip I decided he was partly right and partly dead wrong. Let me explain…

I had a great time in all three places but it wasn’t until I got to Las Vegas that I really got warmed up. Much to my dismay cool to cold weather has followed me around for the past year as Alaska didn’t have a summer this year so I didn’t get my fix of warm sunshine. Oh, we had June, July and August all right so technically it was summer, but it was such lousy weather we aren’t counting it. So much for global warming. Just ask any Alaskan and they can tell you exactly how many days of warm sunshine we had. Two! Yep, 1, 2. We all counted. It was so depressing.

So, when I left on this trip I was counting on some warm sun in Salt Lake. I needed it, badly! My mental health and well as physical health needed sunshine. (Seriously, my doctor tells me I need more Vitamin D so my bones don’t melt away.) Well that didn’t happen. I about froze there and it even snowed one day. Spokane wasn’t much better and I had to wear a jacket there too. I had hoped to get enough Vitamin D pumped into my bones to last me all winter when I returned to Alaska. It didn’t happen in Utah or Washington.

Las Vegas was my last chance and I was not disappointed. The weather there was glorious. It was 80 degrees sit-by-the-pool-soak-up-the-rays wonderful weather. And I did just that. I didn’t waste a second on the strip plugging quarters in the slots. I parked myself by the pool and enjoyed the warm soul-healing sunshine everyday and loved it! I decided right then and there that I could get used to this. Not hard at all. It wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t cold at all. It was just right! I felt the tension in my neck, shoulders and back created from huddling up shivering just melt away like magic. Yep, I could definitely get used to this! Dad was right about that. But, now that I am back in Alaska shivering with the rest of the ‘frozen chosen’ I am thinking Dad was dead wrong in his saying. I am not sure I can get used to the cold now that I have seen the other side of the coin. Hmmm, who flipped that coin and sent me packin’?

And by the way, now I know what that saying about “what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas” really means. What’s going on there is some great winter weather and that definitely stayed in Vegas! I am back in Alaska and it definitely isn’t here. Brrrrrr.