Good afternoon, It's plus 52 here on a crisp, beautiful sunny day. We are to remain so at least through the 15th. It's quite a change from those wet summer days! I left early this morning to catch the bus for my eye appointment and just recently returned.

The appointment went well. Apparently,  the cataract they first noticed a few years back has only grown a small bit, so he thought no surgery for another five years if it stays at such a slow rate. I did get a new prescription, but no significant changes. Thanks to Medicare, it was an inexpensive outing!

I met a friend, and we drove out to her place in North Pole for lunch and a visit. We gave her daughter and daughter's friend a ride as well. The daughter's friend, an Army wife, has been here going on her second winter, works at a mall and since she enters the highway, off the base to go to her work, has never been in town. Yet, she says there's nothing to do in Fairbanks, no huge malls, clubs or water parks!

So we have five rivers, several store anchored malls and a number of events but only two dance clubs,(Nothing like outside with doorkeepers!); and a whole slew of University events, community and museum events as well as several dance troops, theatrical and musical groups, chamber music, and concerts, restaurants, bars, sports bars. Yet there is nothing to do in a place she has not even bothered to investigate!

A couple of surprises about the small city of North Pole. Fairbanks is situated at a higher elevation, and we are partially on the foothills as well as the valley floor. We are surrounded by forests and five rivers with the accompanying sloughs, creeks, ponds, lakes and hot springs. This week has been in the early fifties, going down to plus 21 to plus 23 after midnight. We have a small amount of frost in the mornings that quickly burns off.

North Pole, 26 miles to the south, is on flat ground, part of a flood plain with fox tails and tussocks and a river running on the north side and the south side. The city and surrounding area are on the average, about twenty degrees cooler and some of their smaller creeks remain frozen at one in the afternoon. Their grocery store, parking lot, had a large puddle in one corner, that had apparently been frozen at one time, and there were ice chunks from where cars had driven over or through it.

Now, why is a town 26 miles south of us colder by ten or more degrees? Is it the higher elevation, more buildings or something else I don't understand? I would think we would be colder because of the amount of water in and around Fairbanks. One of life's little mysteries.

Good Night everyone. I am now changing from the couch to  bed. feel some better. Bp is settled some.
wish you all a peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.

Lloyd

A new week for Soda Shoppe begins HERE.