Last night, we watched the fireworks display over across the way, on Ridge Runner Court. When we moved here, there were just a handful of occupants living in what is now a subdivision. I used to ride there, but with people come dogs and cars and snowmobiles. Also, the private land that I’d cut across to get to this area has been bought up. There hasn’t been much snow this year, so perhaps I will ride over there in the next few days.

Yes, there were fireworks, and then later, up behind us, more. The horses were okay although today I got this sense that Raudi and Hrimmi (who we took on an outing on our trails) seemed fatigued. No one ever acknowledges that horses get mentally tired too. I took Tyra for a walk beforehand, she was lively. But once again, she has the splats.

There were also northern lights, which I could see from the upper window. I decided a few minutes ago that if Sastrugi gives birth to a doe I will name it Aurora. And if she has a buckling, I will name it Borealis. This will be in keeping with the Alaska weather theme.

So no merriment here, just a verbal acknowledgement that it is now 2025. Out with the old and in with the new. No mo ho ho ho. Down go the lights. Up go the satellites.

We got up right before sunrise. I am the one who gets up first. I got dressed and went out and tended to the horses who were impatiently waiting for their breakfast. Then I went inside and ate my own breakfast. Both times, when I went out, I wore my Refrigirware suit. Used to be that I put it on when the temperature dropped below zero. Now I put it on when the temperature drops below 20˚ F. For some strange reason, I don’t seem to handle the cold as well as I used to.

I went to the hotel after lunch. I have tried, in the past, to come up with a schedule, figuring I’d take this day or that day off, or that I’d work in the mornings and come home well before sunset. The latest is that I am going to go in most days in the afternoon, so that I can spend time with my horses in the morning. We’ll see.

This being the New Year Day, there were no volunteers. I worked alone, happily, sorting through the huge haul that came in the day before yesterday. About three-quarters of the book had no more shelf life left, so I put them in a bin. They will go to the recycling center, and there be shredded. I then put some of the better books in Bill’s distribution boxes and the Palmer Senior Center distribution bins.

After, I went online and checked out books against eBay prices. I did one box. It was getting late, so I called it a day and came home. We’ll see tonight if with the fireworks and the aurora if it will be Déjà vu all over again.

Next: 2. 1/2/25: Go, go, go