Chief among them: Sidewalks. Sidewalks I can see!!! No snow, no ice, no worries about slipping and falling. No problem.

I’m in sunny Phoenix, visiting my daughter for a little over a week and I’m really starting to understand snowbirds – especially since it was below zero pretty much nonstop for most of January.

While the time difference is just two hours, it’s a big ol’ world away from not-so-warm-and-sunny* Anchorage, Alaska. And as usual, it’s a non-bacchanal visit:

I write. Love, love, love my work-at-home gig because it doesn’t matter whether it’s my home or someone else’s. Seriously: The flexibility of being able to visit Abby vs. having to request time off far outweighs the occasional self-employment hassle.

I visit friends, including Funny About Money, an old college pal who happened to be RVing in the area, and the blogger formerly** known as A Mom, Money and More.

I clean up*** a bit. She’s pretty much stayed ahead of the cleaning. Roomba + no dog and husband going in and out + no clutter thanks to the disappearance of said dog and husband = a place that’s much easier to keep tidy.

But I’ve got a few specific projects like mopping the floors, tightening loose doorknobs, and scooping the catbox. Speaking of which: I also plan to empty and scrub the box with vinegar and water, let it dry in the sun and refill it with some of the litter I helped her lug home the other day. Yeah, I party hard.

I hang out with my daughter. She also works at home, so sometimes the hangout is in the living room, both of us tapping away on our laptops. The rest of the time we’re either reading (occasionally sharing particularly well-written or funny stuff out loud) or viewing programs she thinks I’d like via Netflix and Hulu. It’s likely that I will watch more TV this trip than I would in a couple of months**** in Anchorage.

To some, all this might sound pretty dull. To us it’s pretty satisfying – and at this time of year, when I can go outside and use Nature’s S.A.D. light, it’s fairly great.

What are some of the other ways I know I’m not in Anchorage any more? So glad you asked:

 

 

2. No need for a coat

 

Well, except for the mornings when it’s been cool (40s and 50s). It’s a true delight to trade a parka for a jacket in February. Other folks from cold climates can back me up on this.

 

 

3. No end to liquid (yet still feel thirsty)

 

Blasted desert. I went through almost a gallon of iced tea in the first 24 hours alone.

 

 

4. No end to bathroom breaks, either

 

See above.

 

 

5. The Dollar Tree

 

National brands for a buck! Some odd off-brands, too. Anchorage has no true dollar stores.

My favorite part is the books section. Honest. I’ve discovered some lovely finds among the dreck.

Which of course means: Birthday and holiday gifts for $1.

I do, however, feel sad for the authors. They worked hard on their words and these books have been remaindered. On a previous visit I bought an interesting novel and in the end notes the author mentioned having worked on the book for nearly six years. #frugalguilt

 

 

6. No boyfriend

 

Hearing his voice is better than nothing, but phone calls just aren’t the same. I miss his smile, his kindness, even his bad puns. We talk at least once a day, generally twice, and sometimes e-mail as well. We’ve both got plenty to keep us occupied, but I miss the star of my midlife love story.

Lucky man: His kids live in the same city, whereas I have to fly almost 3,700 miles to see my offspring.

 

 

7. Odd cooking

 

Usually I throw together a few dishes that Abby likes. Those dishes are, however, full of fatty, salty cheese and right now she’s working to shed the last of her holiday season weight gain. Therefore she’s skipping the Chicken Enchilada Casserole and such.

Since I contributed to that issue by putting delicious homemade Buttery Peanut Brittle in her Christmas gift shipment, I have been particularly respectful of her food boundaries. And since I’m on vacation I don’t much feel like cooking anyway. Thus I’ve put together a big pot of chili (using dark-meat turkey she froze from her Friendsgiving feast) and a fake curry (it wouldn’t pass muster in Madras, but it fills me up) to pick at while Abby eats her hummus and cukes or her frozen Healthy Choice meals.

The cooking itself has been a fun challenge, i.e., her kitchen isn’t quite as well-appointed as ours. We’ve had a 20-year-plus head start on accumulating implements and cookware, after all. It’s fun to make do, even if it’s also weird to throw away apple cores and potato peelings rather than toss them into the boiling bag.

Also been eating snacks in the guest room, lest I tempt her. Hey, I miss my sweetheart: I’m allowed to eat my feelings. Everyone knows that vacation food has zero calories.

*Just heard that it’s 39 degrees at home right now. I freakin’ hate chinooks.

**Sonya’s on hiatus, but watch for a new blog in the (I hope) near future.

***Nothing like the tidying when Abby got divorced and we had to clean out the in-law apartment. Warning: The photos are not for the faint of heart.

****We don’t have a TV at home, but my BFF has both a television and a DVR. That’s how I keep up with both the sublime and the ridiculous of modern entertainment.