Today it felt like a storm was coming in. I spent my early childhood living on the shores of Lake Ontario. Then I moved to Rochester, NY, which was just a stone’s throw from the lake. So in the winter we experienced what everyone called, “the lake effect,” mainly strong winds and major snowfalls. The two together were called blizzards. The storms never lasted long enough in my estimation. There were school closing days – they were listed on the television and the radio, early in the morning.

I never had to deal with moving snow after storms. Adults did this. I just went to Maplewood Park and sledded.

I have never seen blizzard conditions here in Alaska. There are strong winds, and it does blow snow some. But no, we don’t get blizzards.

It’s now snowing and the wind is expected to pick up again tomorrow afternoon. People want snow but don’t want the wind. Me, I’d rather have the wind because after it dies down, you don’t have to move it around. Snow, we have to move it around and this takes a lot of time and effort.

Today, in the afternoon, the snow was swirling around on the roads and sidewalks and the wind, while it wasn’t howling, was making its presence known.

I do not remember this morning and what I did. I did clean the horse enclosure a bit later than usual, and got to the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel, as scheduled, at 1:00 p.m. But the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. are a blank. Wait. Nope. The memory is gone and cannot, it seems, be retrieved.

At the hotel – talked with the volunteer coordinator, talked with Pam Meekin. Pam got the wheels turning – it was an ideas day, midday. She said she used to do something called Tai Chi walking and showed me a few steps. And I got to thinking that I could connect her with a fellow who needs a walking partner. And we might be able to find an instructor who will assist children in learning some Tai Chi moves. And we might be able to find a yoga instructor who will assist children in learning some yoga moves.

So this evening I decided to get caught up on some undone stuff. I hate having loose ends. Just can’t stand it. Uggh. So loose ends taken care of – got the Susitna Rotary request for assistance in funding the books to Kenya program off. Got the Foraker Group training request form off. Got the grant for teens off. Nearly finished with the Palmer City grant, the funding going for the Summer in the Park(s) program.

I had to enlist assistance from Pete, who knows the finer points of our software programs. And additionally, he read over my work and made editorial changes. But this is the important thing, Lawrence, volunteer coordinator, he remarked that spouses make things happen. Truer words were never spoken. I could not do any of what I’m doing, including what I just mentioned, without Pete’s assistance.

Next: 348. 12/27/25: Wind is Picking Up