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Anchorage Sunrise: 10:08am Sunset: 3:40pm High Temp: 30° Low Temp: 21° Just a couple days left, and it's starting to feel like it's really over. Saturday night we went to the company-wide going-away party for Stan and me. It was festive, but tinged with a melancholy mood, as everyone there, even those who had no idea who were are, felt diminished by our leaving. We might have had more people come up to us to wish us bon voyage if Activities Committee hadn't consistently billed the event as only the Christmas Party. I think that confused people. So it was fun, but not as fun as last year's party. I did dance with the most beautiful woman there, which is something to write about (I guess I just did). Sunday, Stan and I went out for breakfast at the Snow City Café, the best breakfast place in Anchorage. It was good, but we were both subdued. I had a headache (one could argue whether the cause was the glass of wine at the party or just staying up late, as long as one argues quietly), and we were both thinking that this was the last weekend we may ever spend in Anchorage. On the way home, we saw a moose trotting along the road. I haven't seen any moose for a while, and it seemed fitting to have one last moose sighting. I thought it would take much of the day to pack, but it took less than an hour. With only a few things left out that I'll use between now and Tuesday night, I'm almost done. Ready to leave. Over and gone. This morning I found the left rear tire on my weekend car to be quite soft, but not flat. I drove to the gas station (slowly and cautiously) to fill it, and their air pump was out of order. Great. Since I was practically to the office, I just finished the commute and turned the car back in. This is the last time I'll have to deal with driving the fleet services car, which is another finale I welcome. Speaking of lasts, this will be the last Journal Entry for a while, but my story is not done. I have yet to document my Fairbanks adventure, and I'm sure there other events that I'll think of to write about. And I feel I should write a summary of my Alaska Experience; what I've learned about this Great Land and it's innocent, delightful people, and what this experience has taught me about myself. That sounds like work, so I'll do it later. Perhaps when I'm in Arizona, where temperatures will be in the 70's and moose are only found in animated short films with a flying squirrel. Maybe then I'll come to truly appreciate short, dark days, deep snow, and sub-zero weather. Probably not. So for now, here's wishing you Happy Holidays, and safe journeys wherever you may go! Watch for Moose...

© 2003 Evan M. Nichols