Return of the Sun!

It happened folks! The sun came back! It is stunning and shockingly bright! I think I forgot how bright that boiling orb was.

The first two days that it was supposed to be here were cloudy and so I couldn't tell if it was above the horizon or not. Then, yesterday, on Monday, I actually stopped working to look out the window around 11am because the brightness caught my attention. The whole sky was just so light and the sun wasn't even showing yet! Then, BOOM! There it was....almost 1/2 to 3/4 of the way showing on the horizon.

Then, I stared at it. Over and over again. I seemingly forgot that you're not supposed to stare at the sun. I couldn't help it. I guess I didn't realize how captivating it is.

It has not yet made it completely above the horizon, but the days are very much brighter and there is even a lightening in the sky around 9am! By 2:30-3pm, it's not pitch black anymore. Over Christmas, it was pitch black by 2pm. Things are changing rapidly. I think it's going to feel so surreal to have a normal daylength. It's like boiling a frog. You gotta put that sucker in there while the water isn't hot and slowly crank the heat. That's how I feel this winter went.....while fast and quick changes occurred, you adapt. And, you don't realize you're adapting until it goes back the other way----like the sun showing up.

Even today, as I was riding home I thought, "What it would feel like to walk outside with just regular clothes on?" How easy and lovely would that be? Having a nice climate controlled car that works and carries you to and fro. Being able to step outside in just a coat and hat. Yesterday, I forgot my neck gaiter and had a VERY cold ride into work. That -30 degree air just slips right down and freezes you out. You could not safely go without a hat or gloves. Today, I was helping my boss do a very quick inventory of a freezer we have in the cold warehouse. The cold warehouse has no heat. We were wearing rubber gloves and the clipboard I was holding was so cold, it was burning my hands. So. Cold. My boss had to take a break to warm his hands because he was the one reaching into the freezer (which is actually warmer than the warehouse) and touching the frozen things. He took off his gloves to warm his hands in his pockets. After a couple of minutes, he reaches for his discarded gloves only to discover they're completely frozen. Just bizarre. And, again, you just adapt.....duly noted....anything with any moisture at all will freeze in less time than it takes to peel an orange.Read more