back in the Banks...

I'm back in Fairbanks. It's good to be back to what feels like home; James is here, my friends, my house, my work. It was very lovely to be in Denmark too. I got to see everyone I love and have missed and take part in some serious Christmas traditions. To me it often feels like Alaskans don't have as many traditions as Danes. And the ones that they do have are not set in stone as the Danish ones are. I love that everyone in Denmark know exactly what is going to happen, how it goes down, have done it a million times before, and are still extremely excited about it. There is a lot of anticipation involved that I haven't experienced in Alaska.
I got back and it turns out that everyone I know have been house sitting while I was gone. This is a phenomena that I think is very Alaskan. House sitting means that you stay at someone's house while they are traveling, you take care of their pets - there are a lot of cats and dogs up here - you make sure their pipes don't freeze, and that nobody breaks in. In Denmark people mostly have their neighbors water the plants and empty the mailbox. Here that seems to have been taken to a new level.
Otherwise we have gotten new tires on the car - the old ones were really old and the other morning we came out to two flat tires. So it was time. I have finally learned how to drive on ice so I am taking the car to the university in the mornings and then we do a lunch swap and James takes it for the rest of the day. At some point I might have to get my own car but one car is so much more than I ever imagined I would get. I am definitely not in Denmark anymore. 
On a final note I can tell you that our household is growing exponentially this week (and I am not referring to any babies here). I will post pictures soon to show you what I am referring to. 
Happy New Years everybody!