Alaska According to Marie

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
~William Shakespeare~

I had a bit of an ordeal when I left my office yesterday. It was still very windy outside and I had just locked up the office and was headed to my car. It was payday and my first stop was to be the bank just down the street. As I was leaving my building I was not at all prepared for the 90 mph gusts of wind lying in ambush. I had a package under my arm, I was talking on my cell phone, I had my keys out ready to unlock my door and I had my paycheck in my hand.

Looking back, I am fully aware of how much more efficient it would have been to put my check in my pocket and free up that hand... but I digress.

As I was approaching my car and shuffling with my package and keys, I finally got the door unlocked and as I was reaching for the handle, that gust of wind pounced on me. It swiped my paycheck right out of my hand and began its game of keep away. I threw everything into my car and started chasing my check down the street. That stinkin' piece of paper never came down below 10 feet as the wind moved it from branches to roof tops and finally sucked it into the high heavens.

I called the accountant at our company. After she had a hearty laugh imagining me dancing around down the street, she assured me that she would deal with my AWOL check. I will be re-issued a new one today.

I heard on the news yesterday that the Wasilla Fire Station measured a gust at 96 mph. It is considerably lower today, but it still sneaks up every now and again. Probably saving up energy for when I leave the office with my new check. I'll be ready this time.

Very pretty sunrise this morning...