Well, I'm trying the dry rice trick to try to save my cell phone today. The kids left a glass of water on the table that the cats conveniently decided would look much better pooled around my phone than in the glass where it belongs. Oh well, if this is the worst thing that happens to me this week I'll consider it a good week! We're now firmly into the teasing phase of winter. We got a little over 2 feet of snow yesterday and the day before and it warmed up to almost above freezing. Now the back side of the storm is coming through. It's 11 now and the temperature is dropping like a stone. It's supposed to get back into the -0 range today and tomorrow and then warm back up again. The endless cycle of life in Alaska. As I told a good friend of mine: If you're weak, stupid or unprepared this state will kill you in a minute, but I guarantee you won't be bored while it's happening. As I was cutting another tree for wood the other day I was struck again by the simplicity of life up here. When you're cold, you cut a tree and burn it. Hungry and you go out and hunt some food. Everything after that is pretty much just window dressing. Really, in the grand scheme of things, life is really as complicated as we make it whether we want to admit it or not. I think it's necessary sometimes to see the purity in simply existing before you can truly appreciate living. Have a great day, everyone!