is it the cold or the darkness?

Here in Fairbanks, people will tell you that it isn't so much the cold that makes it miserable but the darkness.  I respectfully disagree.  It's both.  Now that January is in the past, and it has gotten a smidge warmer and as of today, we have 8+ hours of daylight, I'd like to take a moment to bash on January.  (Sorry January, you got a RAW deal but at least you're popular down under.)

January was plain awful (you can say that again*).  January was plain awful for 2 obvious reasons: 1) the days were miserably short, which means it was dark A LOT and 2) those fleeting moments of glorious sunlight were tainted by the bitter cold, making it impossible to enjoy the dazzling sunshine when it made a rare appearance.

Now that we are well into February, it has indeed gotten lighter AND warmer - such is my joy.  This is the 3rd day in a row that we have been in the positives and I can confirm that positive numbers are aptly named, as they are indeed positive.

To celebrate this recent improvement, I think I'll go for a walk at lunch and RELISH the return of positive numbers and sunshine.

* did you catch that Annie reference? - together at last, together forever, we're tying a knot, that no one can sever..... (now I'm just getting carried away)