today is 2 seconds longer than yesterday!

So, yesterday was the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. From sunrise to sunset was 5 hours, 25 minutes, and 58 seconds. The sun rose at 10:15 and set at 3:42. And to make it worse, it was very overcast, so there was no sun visible at all. At this point in the year, even when the sun is out, it is very low on the southern horizon all day... if you drive south at all, you have to put the visor down, because it is right in your eyes. And once it sets, it gets dark very quickly.

For those of you that don't live in Alaska, you probably don't pay that much attention to how long or short your day is from sunrise to sunset. I didn't before we moved here. But I do now. It is amazing how much of a difference it makes. I now understand why the bears hibernate all winter. All I want to do most of the time is sleep. I go to work in the dark. My kids walk to school in the dark. When they come home from school, it is getting dark. And when I get home from work, it has been dark for hours.

But it is all getting better. Today is 2 seconds longer than yesterday. Tomorrow will be 15 seconds longer than today. And the day after will be 26 seconds, and then 38 seconds, and then 51 seconds..... and pretty soon it will be light all the time, and it will be glorious.

I didn't plan well enough this year, but I think next year, we will have a solstice party. When you live in Alaska, it is something to celebrate.